95th Anniversary of the Death of Lieut-Colonel Scobie 2nd Infantry Battalion AIF
at Lone Pine, 7 August 1915
On the eve of the 95th anniversary of the death of Lieut-Colonel Robert Scobie, and so many other fine Australians at Lone Pine on 7 August 1915, a simple remembrance:
Robert Scobie was born at Maitland in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales in 1871 and received his first commission as a Lieutenant in 1900. He served in the South African Boer War with the 3rd New South Wales Mounted Rifles from 1901-1902 and received the Queen's Medal and five clasps, seeing action in Cape Colony, the Transvaal, Orange River Colony and Natal.
With the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, Scobie, a 43 year old married farmer from Oakhampton, near Maitland, enlisted on 27 August 1914 and was attached to the Second Infantry Battalion under Lieut-Colonel George Frederick Braund, as his second in command.
Receiving a gunshot wound to the nose during the fighting at Baby 700 on the day of the Gallipoli landing, Scobie was evacuated to Egypt for medical attention and convalescing, being nursed and attended to by his sister, Sister Lou Stobo.
Returning to Gallipoli in July and being given the command of the 2nd Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Scobie MID was to be killed in action at Lone Pine on 7 August 1915.
C E W Bean made the following reference to Scobie in "The Official History of Australia in The War of 1914-1918 - The Story of Anzac" Volume 2.:
"
6th August 1915
The Attack Upon Lone Pine.On the south the 2nd Battalion had attacked with its right on the southern edge of the plateau overlooking the gullies and spurs leading towards Gaba Tepe. Here the Turkish front trench was more completely covered than elsewhere, with the result that the check at the front line lasted longer. Nevertheless some of the battalion, at once crossing the headcover, found to their right, along the edge of the plateau, a wide and deep communication trench. Parallel with it, and at one point only five yards north, was a shallow sap, either unfinished or abandoned. The front line, from which both of these sprang, continued southwards down the abrupt slope to Snipers' Ridge, while the deep sap, with its shallow companion, trended north-eastwards and then branched, to end through several avenues at the head of The Cup.
The deep sap, though inaccurately shown on the map, was recognised by almost all parties of the 2nd Battalion as their objective, the right flank of the intended Australian position in 'The Pine'. Near the head of 'The Cup', the 2nd found themselves held up by enemy farther along the trench. This position, which was nearest to the gully-head, was forthwith barricaded with sandbags, the neighbouring branches of the trench being similarly stopped by men of the 2nd under Captain Cook and Lieutenant Harkness. The less advanced outlets from the sap were similarly stopped, and a definite right flank was thus early established by the 2nd Battalion in 'The Pine'.
Thus by 6 pm the three attacking battalions of the 1st Brigade had established themselves in 'The Pine', holding a long communication trench on either flank, and in the centre seven or eight isolated posts in as many communication trenches. At 6.19 it was reported that numbers of Turks with fixed bayonets could be seen in the communication trenches and part of the reserve battalion (the 1st Battalion) was sent forward. But to move forward the reserves through the tunnel was impracticable, and therefore Captain Jacobs with part of the leading company of the 1st Battalion went over the open into the right of 'The Pine'. Here Colonel Scobie of the 2nd at once placed most of this reinforcement in the right flank sap. Overhearing his express disappointment that no bombs or machine guns had been brought, a private named Judd asked for written authority to get the gun, and then ran back alone over No-Man's Land, returning presently over the top with that weapon.
7th August 1915
Counter Attack At Lone Pine....Cook had just detailed a party for the 2nd Battalion's portion of the work when some of his 'observers' , keeping watch over the southern side of the trench, shouted "Stand to!" Up a trench on the right were coming large numbers of the enemy. The counter attack on the right flank was evidently about to be resumed in force.
The enemy seems to have preluded and supported this attack with artillery fire. This now opened on the southern flank of the 2nd Battalion's position, firing at only a mile's range, directly along some of the old Turkish communication saps which led from the southern edge of the plateau. One of these, a straight shallow trench, was not occupied by Australians, and since the Turks were also unlikely to use it, only a low barricade had been built where it ran into the new Australian position. Colonel Scobie, in passing, had observed this, and had spoken sharply to the young officer of the 1st Battalion in charge of it. This youngster, Lieutenant Cox, was in some distress, since, despite his efforts, he had been unable to obtain sandbags for the work. At 11 pm, shortly after Colonel Scobie had passed, a shell from 'The Wineglass' struck this barrier, killing Cox and the men beside him.
'The Wineglass' battery also completely enfiladed the communication trench leading to Cook's Post, although not the posts themselves. About noon the attack upon these detached positions of the 2nd Battalion became exceedingly severe. Few bombs could be obtained. Lieutenant Harkness, looking over the top of the trench to ascertain the position, was killed. A few minutes later Cook, doing the same thing, was seriously wounded in the head. The garrison was being bombed from several directions, and had little opportunity for defence.
At this stage, Colonel Scobie, a typical Australian countryman, sparing of words but decided in action, went forward himself and decided that the detached posts could not be usefully maintained. He accordingly ordered a retirement from the communication trench to the main position, himself remaining in the sap while his men were withdrawing from it. He had sent for one of the large improvised bombs, which he intended to throw with his own hands in order to cover the retirement, and was above the parapet, heaving it, when he fell back dead. Lieutenant E W G Wren (3rd Battalion), who with Private Wilson was bombing at the same post, could see no mark of bullet or bomb on Scobie, but assumed that he had been shot.
Shortly after 1 pm the assault grew suddenly more threatening. After Scobie's death the enemy who had been pressing him gained access to the main position, which was held slightly to the west by Lieutenant Jacobs. This officer had not been informed of the withdrawal, and his first intimation of it was the actual sight of the enemy moving along the communication trench from which the 2nd Battalion had been withdrawn. According to one account, when Scobie withdrew his men from the detached posts, a shallow barricade had been made to prevent the Turks from following them through the communication trench into the main position. But the men guarding this barricade were soon all killed and wounded.
The demonstration at 'Lone Pine' had cost the 1st Australian Division over two thousand men. Some of these losses were consequent upon overcrowding, but the greater number were incurred in sheer hand-to-hand fighting, certainly the heaviest of its kind in which Australian troops ever took part. The enemy's loss was heavier. The 2nd Battalion went in to 'Lone Pine' with twenty two officers and five hundred and sixty other ranks, and its losses were twenty one officers and four hundred and nine other ranks.
Lieut-Colonel Robert Scobie, Officer Commanding, 2nd Infantry Battalion, AIF has no known grave. His final resting place is believed to be in the Lone Pine Cemetery, Gallipoli. A special memorial is dedicated to him.
The epitaph reads:
‘THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT’
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