Private Norman Scott VX10577 AIF - POW I have been looking into the repatriation of Allied POWs exchanged in January / February for German POWs via Switzerland. (see thread on PO Whitton - http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-air/45372-77215-f-o-john-whitton-raf-pow.html) One of the articles I came across in an Aussie publication (The Australian Women's Weekly - see attachment and this link 24 Feb 1945 - Repatriated prisoners on happiest ship afloat Fo... ) referred to an Aussie POW that had been in hiding since early in the war and had only just been captured. After a bit of research using the details in the article (Private N. Scott of Mildura) I narrowed it down to Private Norman Scott VX10577 of the 2/8th Australian Infantry Battalion. A google search for his name finally showed a hit in an extract from a memoir of an evader on the island of Crete - http://www.corbould.com/ind/cjc_b1919/docs/JTMcDevitt_My_Escape_from_Crete_excerpts_with_permission_ISBN_0-473-08310-8_Acro4.pdf - ******************************************************************* We learned for the very first time that a courageous and indomitable Australian soldier of the 7th Division, and he himself an escaped prisoner-of-war, had been close hiding in a cave near Samonas in Apokoronas. We consulted our map of Crete and discovered that this village was situated about one and a half hours hike from the large, heavily garrisoned settlement of Neo Horio. We heard that this unfortunate recluse, Norman Douglas Scott, had become a helpless quadriplegic during his long term of lonely concealment. The secret agent's call for help mentioned that Norman Scott's condition was still deteriorating, and that he refused to give himself up to the Germans in Neo Horio and there seek medical help. ******************************************************************* Besides the brief mention in the Women’s Weekly and the memoir I can’t find much else on this individual. Unfortunately his pers file hasn’t been digitised at the National Archives (NAA) because it would be interesting to see how he finally became a POW. Did he finally give himself up or was he stumbled across by the Germans???
Hi Dave, Did he move across to the 7th division? 2/8th Battalion is of the 6th division/19th brigade. This was my dad's battalion. I have the book on the 2/8th so will see if there is any info on him. Cheers Geoff
17 Apr 1954 - Pte. Scott Held Out Pte. Scott Held Out An Australian soldier held out for three years in the mountains of Crete, enduring bitter cold, starvation and the agony of a crippling paralysis before being recaptured by the Germans. This incident is recalled by the emergence of the Greece, Crete and Syria section of the official War History of the A.I.F. Pte. Norman Scott, of Mildura, went with the A.I.F. to Palestine and Egypt and, after participating in action beyond Benghazi, was posted to Greece. He was fighting on the Yugoslav border when the Germans broke through and, after fierce rearguard actions, was eventually evacuated by sea. The ship was bombed and sunk. The survivors, including Scott, were picked up by a destroyer and landed in Crete. Following the German paratroop attack and the capitulation he was captured, but escaped soon after and made his way across the island, wearing out his boots in the process. Second Escape When he discovered that there was no chance of evacuation he gave himself up to the Germans. But be escaped again when he saw the conditions in the prison camp. For several weeks his diet consisted of grass. Then he was discovered by an old Greek woman who risked her life to bring him food and drink. That was the commencement of Pte. Scott's long, lonely experience, which will never leave his memory-without medical attention; alternately shivering with cold or racked with thirst in intense heat; always hungry and often forced to eat grass; his only link with the outer world the old Greek woman and her weekly visit with supplies she could ill spare. So he passed his 25th and 26th birthdays, and was looking unhappily forward to another in isolation when he was recaptured by the Germans. At first deemed a spy, he was imprisoned and told he was to be shot; but his pitiable condition and the tenacity with which he stuck to his story (without giving the Greek woman away) finally convinced his captors. Transferred to a hospital, he was later repatriated to England, where expert attention brought him slowly back to health and enabled him to walk upright once more.
Probably just the bloke who wrote his memoirs guessing at the wrong Division for this guy - it must have been drafted pre-internet so he would have gone off memory..... Would be interesting to see if he made it into the Bn history book. Hi Dave, Did he move across to the 7th division? 2/8th Battalion is of the 6th division/19th brigade. This was my dad's battalion. I have the book on the 2/8th so will see if there is any info on him. Cheers Geoff
In the 2/8th history, Scott is not listed singularly however missing presumed KIA after the Crete action. He was in the band photo which I will post tomorrow. Cheers Geoff
In the 2/8th history, Scott is not listed singularly however missing presumed KIA after the Crete action. He was in the band photo which I will post tomorrow. Cheers Geoff Not a really good shot however you can make him out.
I think I am the great niece of the Norman Scott you are referring to above. He didn't die as a POW but in Melbourne within the last 35 years (?) as I remember visiting him.
I am a niece to Norman Scott. He returned to Melbourne where he married my fathers sister and had three children. He was visited in Melbourne in later years by the young boy who also helped him and his survival john lagonikakis. My husband and I have travelled to Crete where we visited chania and walked the Samaria gorge. Chania was where the POW camp was situated. Norm is mentioned in a book "on the Run" Anzac escape and evasion in enemy-occupied Crete. Written by Sean damper and Ian Frazer who both had fathers in Crete. The book explains to some extend of his adventures but his story and will for survival is fascinating to say the least.
I am a niece to Norman Scott. He returned to Melbourne where he married my fathers sister and had three children. He was visited in Melbourne in later years by the young boy who also helped him and his survival john lagonikakis. My husband and I have travelled to Crete where we visited chania and walked the Samaria gorge. Chania was where the POW camp was situated. Norm is mentioned in a book "on the Run" Anzac escape and evasion in enemy-occupied Crete. Written by Sean damper and Ian Frazer who both had fathers in Crete. The book explains to some extend of his adventures but his story and will for survival is fascinating to say the least.
Cheers Lyn (& Allison) - it is gratifying to hear that he regained his health enough to marry, have children & live on into the 1970s (?). He was fortunate in some ways - after being in hiding on Crete and suffering his injuries he finally surrendered. From there he would have gone from hospital to prison camp (while being questioned as to how he managed to evade capture for so long). His POW journey would have taken him from Crete to Germany (via Greece or Italy) and from there be selected for early repatriation to the UK via Switzerland due to his injuries. From the way I read it, those selected for early repatriation were those considered by the Germans to no longer be effective as soldiers due to their health. This was a combination of compassion by the captors and their desire not to have to expend resources on maintaining the health of enemy forces. Once in the UK (according to the article reproduced above) "expert attention brought him slowly back to health and enabled him to walk upright once more". Your contributions fill in some of the story from there - letting us know that he had what appears to be a good life upon his return to Australia.
Hi Dave. Not certain if this Forum is still open but I am Private Scott's son and my wife and I have just returned from a short holiday time overseas. We spent a few days on Crete, around the area of Neo Chorio and walked extensively around the village. It is very rugged and gives a brief insight to what it would have been like during the war. Dad passed away in 1986 as a result of his poor health from the war but he still managed a full life regardless of his physical limitations. As you will appreciate from understanding what he went through, he was an extraordinarily strong willed and amazing individual. He rarely spoke in detail about his war experiences but was full of praise always for the Cretan people and what they did for him. Trust this assists. I am certainly prepared to provide further details if you are still interested.
Welcome aboard Doug, rest assured that threads on this site never close. I think that the record for longest time between posts is 8 years. Thanks for filling in a couple of blanks, it is certainly gratifying to hear that he recovered so well from his ordeal. Also glad to hear that you were able to make a journey of some of the sites in Crete that your father experienced.
Doug welcome to the forum please provide any further info you have on the thread, if not deemed to personal to share. regards Clive
All. Just to provide a few more details. Dad was indeed repatriated back to England. From the photos that we have it would not be surprising that the Germans took some form of pity on him. He was extremely emaciated and you could probably put your hand around his ankle. When you consider he was six foot tall and built 'like an ox' as a result of the physical work he did before the war, the change was dramatic. Following a time in England he returned to Australia where he undertook recovery in hospital for over twelve months. He never recovered full use of his legs, due to the consequences of berri berri and paralysis that he suffered during his ordeal. It was at this time he met my mother. The stories of how he used to 'escape' from hospital and then walk three miles on crutches to see mum are legend within the family. Again however if you knew Dad and his indomitable spirit this would not be unexpected. Mum was obviously impressed because they were married in 1946 and went on to share 40 happy years of marriage. Dad was able to undertake full time work, although there was certainly an ongoing need for hospitalisation over the years before ill health finally got the better of him and he 'retired'. Unfortunately no matter how strong the spirit , the body finally gave out in 1986. Mum passed away only a few years ago. He never really spoke of his wartime experiences. I think he regarded them as matter of fact and never wanted to dwell on them unecessarily. He did speak passable Greek on his return, albeit with a Cretian accent. He was also eternally grateful for the care and attention that he received. Alway stressing the sacrifice that the locals undertook , rather than anything regarding his own circumstances. Without this support he would undoubtedly not have made it through his time in the cave. As noted he was in the mountains for some three years. As Lynn noted earlier I would encourage you to read the excellent book 'On the Run' by Sean Damer and Ian Frazer for not only some pictures of Dad (thankfully the family was able to assist in this area) but also an excellent coverage of his time on Crete. Thanks all for your interest in Dad's quite remarkable story.
