Joe Scales

Joe Scales
Personal information
Full name	Joseph Lindley Scales
Date of birth	(1895-07-25)25 July 1895
Place of birth	Mitta Mitta, Victoria
Date of death	29 July 1967(1967-07-29) (aged 72)
Place of death	Macleod, Victoria
Original team(s)	Mitta Mitta FC
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	81 kg (179 lb)
Playing career^1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1921–23	Fitzroy	25 (0)
1924	St Kilda	15 (5)
Total		40 (5)
^1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1924.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Joseph Lindley Scales, DSO, MM (25 July 1895 – 29 July 1967) was an Australian soldier and Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy^[1] and St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).^[2]

Scales was appointed as Prahan's captain-coach in the VFA in 1925, when Howell's engagement was terminated.^[3]

Born in Mitta Mitta, Victoria, Scales joined the Australian Imperial Force on 1 February 1915 for service in the First World War.^[4] He was awarded the Military Medal for leading a daylight patrol and gathering valuable intelligence at Bapaume in March 1917 and was commissioned a second lieutenant the following month.^[4][5] At Poelcappelle in October, he led a platoon with "conspicuous gallantry" and singlehandedly cleared a German machine-gun post, for which he was recommended for the Victoria Cross. He was instead awarded the Distinguished Service Order.^[4][6]

Scales was subsequently Mentioned in Despatches and, with the war over, returned to Australia in July 1919 and soon after relinquished his commission.^[4] He returned to service in the Second World War, rising to the rank of captain while posted to Headquarters, Australian Military Forces.^[7]

Older brother of Jack Scales.

Notes

1. "1923 - Scales Brothers, from Mitta Mitta, are Doing Well with Fitzroy". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic). 28 July 1923. p. 6. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
2. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 787. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
3. "1925 - All round athlete". Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic). 25 July 1925. p. 6. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
4. "Joseph Lindley Scales". The AIF Project. University of New South Wales, Canberra. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
5. "Recommendation for Sergeant Joseph Lindley Scales to be Awarded the Military Medal" (PDF). Honours and Awards (Recommendation). Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
6. "Recommendation for Lieutenant Joseph Lindley Scales to be Awarded the Victoria Cross" (PDF). Honours and Awards (Recommendation). Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
7. "Scales, Joseph Lindley". World War II Nominal Roll. Department of Veterans' Affairs. Retrieved 28 November 2022.

External links

• Joe Scales's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Joe Scales at AustralianFootball.com