Private Henry Scott's returned medals that will be displayed at the Deni RSL.
Four original war medals earned by a Deniliquin soldier have been returned to the town of his birth and final resting place, just in time for Remembrance Day this year.
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Private Henry Scott served in World War II, which ended 80 years ago this year.
His medals have been donated to Deniliquin through discussions with Deniliquin RSL Sub-branch member Tom Cheeseman, better known as Sarge due to his rank while serving in the Australian Army.
One of his roles with the sub-branch is helping veterans and their families claim their war medals.
Sarge said the sub-branch was approached earlier this year by a Ballarat family who had the medals of Private Scott.
With no known living connections in the local area, Sarge said the details of his war sservice are limited to official documentation at this stage.
Private Scott was born in Deniliquin on December 3, 1902.
After having finished schooling, he became a drover.
Sarge said it was evident Mr Scott had “done it hard back in the day” and had “lived a pretty hard life”.
At the time of enlistment, Private Scott lived at 10 End St, Deniliquin.
He travelled to Royal Park in Melbourne to sign up in 1940. He was 37.
During his military service he spent 1982 days in Australia and 460 days overseas, in the Middle East, Borneo and Indonesia.
He was discharged from the army with the rank of Private in 1945, after five years military service.
Sarge said Private Scott may have “temporarily been a corporal”, but during his five years didn’t seek the responsibilities of a higher rank.
This was perhaps an indication of his “down to Earth nature”.
A 1963 statutory declaration, filed to apply for service records to get a pension, shows Scott returned to Deniliquin after the war and listed his residence at 74 End St, the site of the Deni RSL today.
He has been buried in the family plot at the Deniliquin cemetery with his father, mother and brother, since his death on December 29, 1970, aged 68.
It is not known whether he was married.
The whereabouts of his medals of service had been a mystery until earlier this year, leading to further research of Private Scott’s life, Sarge explained.
“They were in the possession of a family in Ballarat, who reached out,” he said.
“The family who had them used to come up and visit around Deniliquin.
“They were in a small box, in very worn condition.”
The Ballarat family, who wish to remain anonymous, felt the medals should be returned to Private Scott’s hometown.
Sarge said the medals hold great significance, and have been restored to their current condition thanks to the sub-branch.
The four medals signify Private Scott’s service, including the Pacific Star for service in the Pacific Theatre at Borneo, service in the Darwin Area and two other Australian Military awards that symbolise he returned from active service.
The medals will now be on permanent display at Deniliquin RSL in accordance with the Ballarat family’s wishes - returning to the original location on End St, where their owner lived, for the public to observe and remember.
• Today’s Remembrance Day service in Deniliquin will be held at the Deniliquin Cenotaph from 11am. All are welcome to attend.
Certificate of Private Henry Scott's WWII Service.
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