Saluting C.R.G. Dougherty AIF Military Service No 262

A veteran of both Gallipoli and the Middle East campaign in World War I, Charles Robert Gibson Dougherty (Charlie) enlisted at Goondiwindi on December 31 1914. He was stationed at Enoggera Camp in Brisbane before being assigned to the 11th  Light Horse Regiment on March 24 1915. This would have been well suited to Charlie as he was an excellent horseman. Born at McKinlay (Northwest Qld) in 1895, he grew up with a rural background. He later worked as a shearer, fencer and drover/stockman and was only 19 when he volunteered for war service.

Private Dougherty boarded HMAT “Borda” at Brisbane on June 2 1915, the ship picking up other troops around Australia before going across to Suez. They went to Cairo and on to Abydos where the 11th Light Horse base camp was established. At this time, the disastrous landing at Gallipoli had already occurred and no sooner had the 11th Light Horse Regiment arrived in Egypt than they were sent to reinforce the 8th Light Horse at Gallipoli.

In his diary, Charlie recorded that they left Gallipoli on December 19 1915 and sailed for Lemnos then Alexandria arriving Christmas Day. We had a sort of Christmas dinner on board ship, landed about 5pm and entrained for Cairo straight away … we marched through Cairo for Maadi … did a lot of shooting and foot drill but we were looking forward to our own regiment to reform … left Maadi on 22/2/16 and arrived at Alimaza which is our old camp … Charlie was again taken in the 11th Light Horse.

Charlie’s war records show he was ranked Lance Corporal on July 12 1916, then Corporal on September 25 1917. His name is listed in the pages of “History of 11th Light Horse Regiment” which describes the April 1917 Gaza attack. On the first day of this attack, April 19, Charlie had his horse shot from underneath him but escaped unhurt apart from a wounded arm. Charlie took part in the charge at Sheria on November 7 1917 and the pursuit of the retreating Turkish troops from Gaza the following day. May 1918 saw Charlie involved in the El Salt raid and then defending the crossing points over the Jordan River.

On May 7 1918, Charlie was promoted to Temporary Sergeant. Two months later, the 11th LHR repulsed the heavy Turkish and German attacks on the Jordan River. On July 31 1918, he was promoted to Sergeant and the next day the 11th LHR began training with swords. On September 25 1918, they performed a cavalry charge at Semakh on the Palestine Coast and finished the battle on foot into the town using rifles and bayonets.

At war’s end, while waiting to embark for Australia the 11th LHR were required to quell the Egyptian revolt of May 1919.  When the war finally ended, Charlie embarked at Port Said on HT “Caledonia” to spend two months leave in the UK. He left there July 5 on the “Port Melbourne” to return home and was discharged on September 22 1919.

On his return, Charlie bought land at Bloomsbury where he grazed cattle and horses and in 1924 married (Alice) Maud Considine and they had four children. After Maud and their infant daughter, Eva, died tragically in 1943, he stayed on his property “Glencoe” until 1967 when a horse-riding accident affected his balance and he retired to Proserpine, in time, becoming Patron of the RSL.  Charlie Dougherty died on August 7 1990 and was given a military burial in Proserpine Cemetery.

LEST WE FORGET

Story courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum and “Proserpine Answered the Call” by Lyn Burke and Lloyd Fox; photo courtesy Proserpine Museum.

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