Service Details:

27 April	1915                      Enlisted
6 June	1915                      Embarked Australia
August	1915                      Embarked Egypt
10 Sept. – 12 Dec.	1915                      Gallipoli
21 March	1916                      France
6/7 June	1916                      Trench Raid
29 July – 27 Aug.	1916                      Pozieres (Sausage Valley)
4 August	1916                      Pozieres
6 September	1916                      Belgium
October	1916                      Ypres and Dernacourt
3 November	1916                      Battle of Ancres Heights & Fricourt
25 January	1917                      Promoted Sergeant
February	1917                      Warlencourt
March	1917                      Attack on Malt Trench
26 March	1917                      Wounded
20 September	1917                      Promoted CSM
28 November	1917                      Rejoined Battalion
December	1917                      Red Lodge
12 January	1918                      Appointed Warrant Office Class II
8 March	1918                      No.2 Officer Cadet School, Cambridge
26 August	1918                      Rejoined Battalion
2 September	1918                      Wounded
11 November	1918                      Armistice
23 March	1919                      Returned to Australia
3 July	1919                      Discharged

 

 

Biographical Details:

Francis Albert Douglas was born to Robert and Mary Nugent in Norwood, South Australia in 1883. He was the eldest boy in a family of three girls and two boys.


When he enlisted in 1915 he gave his occupation as well borer. He also listed Nellie Neal of NSW as Next of Kin although he described her as “no relation”. For the June Trench Raid Francis was list as a Spare Man . He would have been eligible to receive the Special Leave but the day following the raid he was hospitalised with jaundice. He was transferred to England and remained there until November. At thirty two years of age Francis was much older than most of his fellows and quickly moved through the non-commissioned ranks before, in 1918, attending an Officer Cadet School and being appointed a Warrant Officer. Francis was wounded twice – the first occasion during the attack on Malt Trench where he also earned a recommendation for a Military Medal (MM). Fo r bravery and devotion to duty during the attack on Malt Trench North of Warlencourt. There is no record of this ever being conferred although two others who were recommended at the same time did receive the MM. Francis received a GSW to his right eye in September 1918. He was transferred to England and did not return to France. Francis returned to Australia in January1919 and was discharged six months later. There is no record of him ever marrying. He died in Brisbane in 1950. An article published in a SA newspaper mentioned that police sought a daughter who was reputed to be living in Mt Gambier SA.32 Given his age on enlistment (32) Francis could have had a family before he left SA although there are no children registered to his name there.