Norman John Scott was born on 10 February 1905 at Marrickville, New South Wales, to parents John Joseph and Cecilia May (née Eastwood) Scott. He was the fifth of six siblings. Scott married Mary MacPhee on 26 September 1925 at Hurstville. They lived in Kogarah and Scott worked as a clerk at Tooheys Brewery.

After the outbreak of the Second World War, Scott enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force at Paddington, New South Wales, and became a driver in 8 Division, 2/10 Field Ambulance. In August 1941, Scott arrived in Singapore with his unit and underwent training. He then tended to sick and wounded Allied soldiers in the campaign against the Japanese in Malaya. However, Scott was captured by the Japanese as a prisoner of war after the fall of Singapore in February 1942. He was interned in Changi on about 22 February 1942, was later sent to several nearby work camps to attend to sick Allied prisoners, and returned to Changi in late December 1942. In April 1943, Scott was assigned to “F” Force, a group of approximately 7000 Allied prisoners tasked with the construction of the Thai section of the Burma-Thai Railway. He endured a forced march to Songkurai camp, where he carried out his medical duties and attended to the many malnourished, sick, and exhausted prisoners forced to work on the railway. Scott remained at this camp until December 1943, when he was sent back to Changi Camp. At some point in his service, Scott was promoted to corporal. Scott, alongside fellow prisoners of war in Changi, was liberated when the Japanese surrendered to the Allies in August 1945. He returned to Sydney on the Largs Bay in October 1945.

Norman John Scott’s employment and residence after the war is unable to be confirmed. By 1980, he was living in retirement at Culburra Beach near Nowra. Norman John Scott died on 16 January 1987 and was buried at Nowra General Cemetery.