DOWLING, Arthur
| Service Number: | 833 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 7th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Boundary Rider |
| Memorials: | Bendigo Marist Brothers College Great War Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Oct 1914: | Involvement Driver, 833, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked Driver, 833, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Larna Malone
Arthur Dowling, known as ‘Jerry’, was born in Bendigo, the son of Jeremiah & Mary Ann Dowling, of 260 McCrae Street Bendigo. He was a Boundary rider, aged 20 years & 4 months old when he volunteered for the Expeditionary Force. He had no previous military service but had previously attempted to join the Navy. He had been rejected due to the loss of the top of the third finger on his right hand. He Enlisted on 21/8/14 and arrived at Broadmeadows Camp on 24/8/14. He was allotted Service no. 833 and appointed to ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion.
The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’. Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids. (6/12/14)
In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized. In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company. This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.
In April the men were medically examined to ensure that they were fit for active service. ‘Jerry’ Dowling failed the medical examination and was admitted to No. 2 General Hospital, Mena House (3/4/15)
The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915, but ‘Jerry’ Dowling did not embark with the battalion and was not present at the Landing at Anzac Cove.
In May, Lieut.-General Sir W.R. Birdwood, in command of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, was asked to provide part of the Australian force to assist in a British offensive at Cape Helles. The 2nd Australian Brigade, which included the 7th Battalion, was one of two brigades provided. The 7th Battalion left Anzac and disembarked at ‘V’ Beach, Cape Helles, on May 6th. The battalion moved forward on May 8th in what was later known as the “2nd Battle of Krithia” (8-11 May). This battle achieved minimal gain and casualties were extremely high. Arthur Dowling rejoined the 7th Battalion at 4.30 p.m. on 8/5/15, just before the battalion moved into action. The battalion returned to Anzac Cove on 17th May.
In September the battalion embarked for Lemnos & marched to Sarpi Camp. The health of the men was of great concern and it was hoped to improve this by an extended period of rest. The men were fed well, but the improvement in the men’s health was to be very slow indeed. On September 15th Arthur Dowling was sent to hospital suffering from Dysentery.
Following the evacuation from Anzac Arthur Dowling went on to serve on the Western Front. He transferred to 15th Field Artillery as Gunner (15/6/16); transferred 3rd Army F.A. Brigade (27/1/17); 1st DAC (17/6/17); 2nd Field Artillery (28/7/17). He was appointed Driver on 20/10/17 and spent 1918 in England. He RTA on 4/7/19.
“The First Lot. 7th Battalion. The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone