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Frederick Scott



On the morning of 6 April, Fred Scott was in the lead vehicle of what was left of the BBC’s North Iraq team. As unilateral journalists, or non-embeds, they were operating without military protection as they advanced through crumbling Iraqi frontlines.

Fred Scott

Near Dibagar they joined Kurdish and US soldiers at a crossroads. US naval fighters were circling overhead.



As Scott was filming aeroplanes and soldiers, he heard a shout to his left. He turned, caught a glimpse of something red - and was then blown flat by the blast of the missile. With blood pouring down his face, he found his camera and began to film the carnage around him.



The team had been separated into two groups by the blast. Each group assumed the other was dead and the threat from another strike and exploding ammunition prevented an immediate search. Eventually they located each other.



Everyone had been injured, but translator Kamaran had been in a path of heavy shrapnel and, despite the effort of the US army medics, his injuries were too serious – he did not survive. Twenty three men - almost half of those at the crossroads - died that day.



That evening, together with John Simpson, Scott edited two television packages with salvaged equipment . They had little energy left and had both been partially deafened by the blast.



The shock of survival and loss hadn't hit yet. The news piece was simply a straight telling of events that day, culminating in Kamaran's death.



Cameraman’s comment



“I was blown flat. Blood was coming down my face. I thought I might have lost an eye. Men were screaming and car horns were blaring where bodies had slumped against them.



The missile had struck ten metres behind me. The soldier immediately to my right had his brains blown out. Plumes of flame and smoke were pouring out of the vehicles and ammunition was beginning to burn.



I pulled myself up and tried to scramble for cover. I believed the pilots would circle back and attack again. I found my camera and managed to get it running. I kept it rolling for whatever would happen next, but fortunately a second attack did not come.”



Biography



After a variety of jobs in California Fred took on a contract with the BBC in 1987 and until 1994 was based in Hong Kong working as a cameraman, photographer, picture editor, sound recordist and fixer/researcher. He then did stints with the BBC in New Delhi and Beijing as a cameraman/producer before moving to London and setting up Greasy Grass Ltd.



His experience in film making is impressive covering documentaries and news stories throughout the world including Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Kashmir, Kosovo, Pakistan, Croatia & Serbia and Mongolia. He has covered a wide spread of major news stories from, the Military coup in Fiji, to Tiananmen Square, Insurgency in North East India and the wars in Kosovo and Croatia.



He has received much recognition and acclaim for his work winning

News Technician of the Year – RTS 1996

Documentary World Medal – New York Television Festival 1998 ‘The Serb’s Last StandM Documentary of the Year – RTS 1998

Silvery Nymph – Film & Television Awards Monte Carlo 1998 ‘The Unfinished War’

News Event of the Year – Team Award reports within Taliban controlled Kabul – RTS 2002