P03236.322 Accession Number: P03236.322

Description

Studio portrait of ex-Prisoner of War (POW) 6620 Private (Pte) Douglas John Cameron McMillan Knight Joseph Scott (known by the nickname Alphabetical Scott), 18th Battalion, from Pymble, NSW. Pte Scott enlisted on 3 January 1917 at the age of 21 and embarked for overseas on 7 February 1917 aboard HMAT Wiltshire. He was wounded and captured with 19 others on the Western Front, on 15 April 1918 and held as a POW in Germany. He wrote from the POW camp at Limburg, Germany "My dear Uncle & Aunt, well you will be very surprised to hear of my being wounded and taken prisoner on the 15th April. The wound is a bullet one and is on the right leg, above the knee, on the inner side. I crawled halfway back to our own line but could not get any further as there were none of our stretcher bearers available. So Aunt, I have to make the best of it now, as I am. I have been treated fairly well, but the food is poor. Would you let mother know by cable for me Aunt. This is all the paper and envelopes I have, I do hope you will understand this scratch. I have not had a wash or shave for weeks and I am in bed at [place blotted out by German Censor] hospital. They don't worry about giving you a wash. So Aunt, if you could send me some soap, toothbrush and paste. I have no razor or shaving brush. And as for smokes I am lost. But I am keeping a cheery heart. I do hope by this time that Uncle has got quite well, long before this, and that this note will find you both well. I will get no leave now, Aunt, I got your parcel before I went in the line, and the contents were very nice, please thank Mrs. B. for the cake, it was very nice. I am the only Australian in this ward but plenty of Tommy's. I got your No. 30 letter dated 1.4.18. Dear Aunt I would like a small face towel, for I lost everything when I got wounded. When you write to Bert you may tell him about me for I have no paper and he will be anxious. Aunt, if you could send me some papers or a book to read I would be very glad. We have German nurses here and they can talk good English. Dear Aunt, I hope I have not asked you to send too much and think me greedy, I would have loved to have been helping Uncle on the allotment instead of being here, but I will spend a little time with you after the War. That will be the time. I cannot make Bert out at all, he is very queer. Well this is all the space I have. I hope to hear from you quite soon, as I am longing to know how you both are. With my fond love and best wishes, I am your ever loving nephew, Douglas John Scott" Pte Scott was repatriated to England on 23 December 1918 and arrived back in Australia on 15 May 1919. One of a series of over 400 photographs sent by Australian POWs in German camps to Miss M. E. Chomley, Secretary, Prisoners Department, Australian-British Red Cross Society, London. Original album housed in AWM Research Centre at RC00864, Album image number 382.