Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Extract from “The Fighting 10th”, Adelaide, Webb & Son, 1936 by C.B.L. Lock; kindly supplied courtesy of the 10th Bn AIF Association Committee, April 2015. 

Born 12 August 1895, at Stirling in South Australia.

Son of Benjamin Scudds and Mother Joan Robinson (nee Wilson), who for a number of years was employed as overseer by the Crafers District Council.

He was educated at the Stirling Public School, and for three years was employed as a Footman at Government House, Adelaide, by Admiral Sir Day Hort Bosanquet, and subsequently held the position  of Usher at the King’s Theatre.

He was a compulsory trainee, and was serving as a Private in the 78th (Adelaide Rifles) Infantry at the time of joining the AIF.

He enlisted as a Private in the 10th Battalion at Morphettville on 20 August 1914.

His regimental number being ‘176’.

He was allotted to original E Company, and embarked with the original Battalion on HMAT A11 Ascanius on 20 October 1914, and proceeded to Egypt.

At Mena, Egypt, in January 1915, when original E Company merged with original C Company and became the new B Company, he was retained on strength of same.

He embarked with the Battalion on the Ionian for the Dardanelles, and landed with his company from Prince of Wales at the historic landing on 25 April 1915.

He remained on the Peninsula until 30 August 1915, when he evacuated ill and proceeded to Lemnos, where he embarked on the Ascanius and proceeded to Malta, where he was admitted to the Floriana Hospital.

He subsequently returned to Egypt, and rejoined the Battalion at Habieta in February 1916.  He accompanied the 10th to France on the Saxonia, and served continuously with the Battalion until early February 1917.

He was raised to the rank of Lance-Corporal at Fleurbaix in June 1916 to Corporal at Fleurbaix in June 1916, to Corporal at Pozieres in July 1916, and to Sergeant at Morquet Farm in August 1916.

In February 1917, shortly before the Le Barque attack, he was sent to an N.C.O.’s and Officers’ School at Piquigny, where he remained for two weeks as a trainee and one month as an Instructor, subsequently being transferred to an Officers’ Training Corps at Keble College, Oxford, England, where he received his first commission as a 2nd Lieutenant on 18 June 1917.

He returned to France, and rejoined the Battalion at Bray on 30 June 1917, and served continuously with the 10th for another three months.

In September 1917 he distinguished himself in the Polygon Wood operation, for which he was awarded the Military Cross, which he was awarded the Military Cross (MC), which was promulgated in the London Gazette, on 10 November 1917 and the details on 19 March 1918.

General Sir W R Birdwood, under date of 24 October 1917, forwarded him the following congratulatory message:

“1st Anzac Corps, B.E.F, France – Dear Scudds, I write to congratulate you very heartily upon the award to you of the Military Cross in recognition of your good work in the operations near Ypres from 19th to 22nd September.  I know that great courage and initiative you displayed in leading your platoon against an enemy strong point, which was holding up the company on your flank, and your capture of which enabled the advance to continue.  Your work, too, in the capture and consolidation of the final objective was of a very high order, and I thank you so much for it.  With good wishes for your future, Yours sincerely, W R Birdwood.”

Immediately after the Polygon Wood operation he proceeded on special furlough to England, and thus missed the Celtic Wood raid. 

He subsequently returned to France, and rejoined the Battalion at the horse-lines near the Chateau behind the front line the day before the Battalion moved forward into the trenches, and there awaited the return of the 10th from the raid.

He served on with the 10th, and was promoted to rank of Lieutenant on 17 November 1917, and at Merris on 28 June 1918, again distinguished himself, for which he was awarded a Bar to his MC, which was promulgated in the London Gazette on 15 October 1918.

General Sir W R Birdwood again congratulated him as follows:

“Headquarters AIF, Attached Headquarters Fifth Army, BEF – Dear Scudds, I am very pleased to have this opportunity of congratulating you most heartily on the award of a Bar to the Military Cross, which you have fully deserved for your good and gallant work during our operations near Merris on the morning of 28th June last.  You led your platoon in the attack with great skill and determination, and, as a result of your good leadership, quickly reached your objective, where you inflicted heavy casualties upon the enemy.  Having done this, you displayed commendable resource and initiative in moving forward with three members only of your platoon, and capturing three enemy machine guns and 21 Germans.  Thank you very much for your fine example of bravery and devotion to duty, and with good wishes, Yours sincerely, W R Birdwood.  30 August 1918.”

At the capture of Merris in July 1918, he was posted to the Command of C Company, which he took over from Major C Rumball MC, and retained Command of this company until the Crepey Wood operation of 12 August 1918.

Early in September 1918 at a bomb smash near Peronne, he was wounded in the head and both legs and forced to evacuate, proceeding to the 8th General Hospital at Rouen. 

He subsequently returned to the Australian Base at Le Havre, where he was detailed to proceed on three days’  escort duty to the Citadel at Peronne.

He rejoined the Battalion at Brucamps shortly before the Armistice, but during the Armistice was attending a sic days’ gas course at a military school near Amiens.

He subsequently rejoined the 10th en route to Charleroi, where he was appointed Officer-In-Charge of the 3rd Brigade section of a special guard mounted in honour of H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught.

The section under his command consisted of picked men from the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Battalions.

In December 1918 he was detailed to proceed to England with a draft of men from the 10th, but upon the cancellation of this instruction he finally left the Battalion by himself on 25 December 1918.

He proceeded to Paris, and then to England, where he obtained extended leave and accepted non-military employment in connection with cinematography work, and in this capacity continued until August 1919.

He subsequently embarked on the Ascanius for Australia, arriving back in Adelaide early in November 1919.

His services with the AIF terminating on 21 November 1919.

This was his third and final trip on the Ascanius during the war.

On 28 June 1922 at North Adelaide, he married Linda Jessie Octavia, daughter of Percy Walsingham Wood, there being one son of this union.

On 1 July 1920 he was placed on the Reserve of Officers as a Lieutenant, and on 3 August 1926 was transferred to the 10th Battalion with same rank.  On 24 November 1926, he was again listed on the Reserve of Officers ad in 1935 was still on the same.  He was listed as a Lieutenant in the Regimental Reserve List of the 10th Battalion as and from 1 June 1930. 

In 1935 he was employed as a mechanic at the Hackney Depot of the Municipal Tramways Trust, and was residing at No.29 Asquith Street, Prospect Gardens.