Arthur Edward SCRUTTON

Year of Birth:  1882

Place of Birth:  Petersham, Sydney, New South Wales

Date of Enlistment:  10 June 1916

Date and Place of Embarkation:  25 October 1916, Sydney, New South Wales

Ship:  HMAT Ascanius A11

Rank:  Private

Unit(s):  54th Australian Infantry Battalion – 6 to 9 Reinforcements

Regimental Number:  2971

Died:  29 March 1917

Pte Arthur Scrutton - photo courtesy RSL Virtual War Memorial

Arthur Edward Scrutton was the second son of Robert Le Neve Scrutton and Susannah Turton of Sydney where he was born 31 July 1882. Arthur was the youngest of 8 children, Susie Mary born 1871, Edith Le Neve 1872, Caroline Maude 1874, Annie I 1875, Alice L 1877, Elsie Constance 1879, Robert LeNeve 1881 and Arthur E 1882.

Arthur's baptism, Petersham, Sydney. Source: Ancestry.com "Sydney Anglican Parish Registers 1818-2011

In the 1913 Electoral Roll he was a CSR Chemist at the Hambledon Mill near Cairns.

He enlisted with the A.I.F. 54th Infantry Battalion on 10 June 1916 two months after marrying Elsie Allen at Burrowa, NSW. Elsie died in 1930.

On his enlistment at the R.A.S. Grounds, New South Wales, he was 33 years 10 months of age, occupation Chemist and next of kin his wife Elsie Mabel Scrutton, Wahroona NSW – this was later changed to, wife deceased, sister Miss E C Scrutton next of kin. His height was  5 feet 5 ½ inches in height and weighed 156 pounds with a brown complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He was Church of England.

Arthur Edward embarked on the HMAT Ascanius on 25 October 1916 from Sydney and landed in England on 28 December 1916 and then at Etaples, France on 1st March and joined his unit on 21 March. He was killed in action 8 days later at Bapaume, 29 March 1917.  His fellow soldiers originally buried him where he was killed. He was later moved to the Vaulx Hill Cemetery, Vaulx, Picardie, France.

HMAT Ascanius A11 - photo courtesy Australian War Memorial
The Sun (Sydney) 7 May 1916 p17
Australian Red Cross Wounded & Missing - Australian War Memorial
Sydney Morning Herald - 2 May 1917 p12

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