Walter Scobie
Name: Walter Farmes Scobie
Rank: Captain
Unit Served:13th Battalion and 4th Pioneer Battalion
Personal Details: Walter Farmes Scobie was born on the 22nd September 1990, the son of Elizabeth and Robert Scobie in Menindee, NSW. Prior to enlisting in the AIF he had served for 6 years in the 25th Infantry Regiment and in the Scottish Rifles. He was an electrical engineer in civilian life but had completed the examination to be a 2nd Lieutenant on the 1st September 1913.
Enlistment Details: He enlisted on the 10th May 1915, and was assigned to the 6th Reinforcement of the 13th Battalion.
His role in the war: He left Sydney on the 14th June 1915 aboard the HMAT Wandilla. He joined his battalion on Gallipoli on the 6th August and received a gunshot wound to the head on the 21st August, 1915.
This was at the Number 3 Post, Australia Valley. As a result he was evacuated to England where he spent time in hospital before returning to the 13th Battalion in Egypt in February 1916.
He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 16th March. He was then promoted to Captain and became a member of the 4th Pioneer Battalion on the 27th May.
The battalion sailed for France on the 5th June, 1916 and arrived at Marseilles on the 10th. The battalion arrived in Ballieul on the 14th and on the 22nd took over in the line from the 2nd Pioneer Battalion at Armientieres. During the rest of June the battalion worked ion trench construction in the Bois-Grenier Line or attending Gas School. In July the battalion began the month at Armientieres, then went to Fleurbaix on the 8th to construct trenches, then was at Canaples on the 15th until the 27th when it moved to Albert. Here the battalion worked on a road through La-Boiselle, a communications trench to Pozieres, and placing strong points and wire entanglements in the front line. In the first week of August, it continued to work on trenches in the Pozieres area including the Tramway, Pozieres and First Aid Trenches and Copse Avenue. On the 4th it also constructed a communications trench from the old front line to OG1 and OG2 as infantry battalions captured these from the German Army. After just over a month on the “Western Front” Captain Walter Farmes Scobie was killed in action on the 7th August 1916, near Pozieres, at the age of 25, when he was hit by a High Explosive shell.
Date of Death: 7th August 1916
Age at Death: 25
Cemetery Details: Pozieres British Cemetery near Ovillers-la-Boisselle in Plot 3, Row M, Grave 10.
