DOCTER, Alfred William

Alfred William Docter and his brother, Thomas Cancel Doctor, were the sons of Thomas Docter, a dairyman, and his wife Alice, of 187 Edward St., Brunswick. Alfred was a driver by trade, while Thomas was a currier. Both died as a resut of war, but in very different circumstances.

Alfred was the younger brother, born in 1894. He was 20 years and four months old when he enlisted at Victoria Barracks on 4 March, 1915. He trained with the 21st Battalion, but was then taken on strength with the 23rd Battalion. His embarkation roll entry is missing, so it must be assumed that he left Australia with the 23rd Battalion on HMAT Euripides in May, 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 11 June. From here, the 23rd was moved by train to Cairo, then marched to Heliopolis, where they underwent further training before being deployed to Gallipoli. They were first sent to Lemnos Island and from there, embarked for the peninsula on 4 September.

After one day's rest, they took up defensive positions at Lone Pine.  By now, Alfred Docter was ill, a later medical report stating 'First contracted cold before landing in Egypt, August 1915, went to Gallipoli, landed at Lonesome Pine, got harsh cold and had haemopthysis.' On 8 September, he was to th 1st Anzac Casualty Clearing Station, bu his condition must have been seen as serious, because a week later, he was sent to Malta on H.S. Gascon and admitted to the No.5 Australian General Hospital there. Here he was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the upper apex of the left lung, aggravated by active service and 'severe conditions'. He was in hospital for three weeks, judged as being 100% incapacitated, suffering from night sweats, coughing, loss of weight and debility. He was judged unfit for any further service and returned tov Australia on board HMAS Kanowna, recommended for a pension and to be sent to a sanatorium. He disembarked in Western Australia and may have stayed there. He was also awarded a pension of three pounds per fortnight. Alfred Doctor died on 19 October 1918. There were no death notices in the  Melbourne papers, nor is he listed on the Death Index for Victoria.

Alfred's older brother,Thomas Cancel Docter, joined up on 2 August, 1915. He left for the war on 27 October, 1915, on board HMAT Euripides. Like his brother, he was not in good health, being admitted to 6th Auxiliary Hospital on 20 February, 1916, Probably in Cairo,with diptheria. He was discharged to duty, but then developed Scarlet Fever and was finally taken on strength with the 60th Battalion at Duntroon Plateau in Egypt. On 18 June, the Battalion left from Alexandria on the Kinfawn Castle disembarking at Marseilles on 29 June, 1916.

From here they moved to the Western Front. They were given no period of time in the 'nursery' or 'quiet' trenches to acclimatise, but on 19 July, 1916, were sent straight into battle at Fromelles, suffering 757 casualties and almost destroying the battalion. Thomas Docter was one of those killed. The Red Cross files contain a number of accounts of his death, some conflicting: ... casualty was killed as he left the parapet in the first wave; lying dead in No Man's Land, killed by a machine gun at Fleurbaix. The strangest one is this: Docter was wounded and he crawled to the creek for a drink. He had a drink and that was the last that was seen of him. Informant and others heard that it was found out afterwards that the creek was poisoned and that all the men who drank of it died.' He is buried at V.C. Corner in the Australian Cemetery at Fromelles and remembered in the Roll of Honour Cards 145 and on Panel 169 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra