DOBSON, Joseph Francis Tasman
| Service Number: | 3496 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 25th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Launceston, Launceston, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 5 August 1916, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Serre Road Cemetery No.2 Beaumont Hamel, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Mackay Cenotaph, Mackay Old Town Hall Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 3496, 25th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Kyarra embarkation_ship_number: A55 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 3496, 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kyarra, Brisbane | |
| 5 Aug 1916: | Involvement Private, 3496, 25th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3496 awm_unit: 25 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-08-05 |
Joseph Francis Tasman DOBSON
Joseph was a printer by trade and been working at Mackay, NQ. since at least 1913, where he was known to his many friends as "Dobbie". He and one of these, Henry George Collins, went down to enlist at Rockhampton in August 1915.
In June 1916, a letter from "Dobbie" sent home to Mackay friends was published in the local paper ("Mackayites in France. Mackay Mercury" 17 June 1916, page 5). It said he was stationed in a French village near the front and that Anzac Day had been celebrated by "a big parade of Australian troops at this base", after which a Zeppelin had dropped bombs near his camp.
Early in July 1916, the British launched their Somme campaign, with Australian troops being engaged in heavy combat. On 5th August that year, Pte. J.F.T. Dobson was listed as "wounded in action", this soon altered to "killed in action", and his family were notified.
In 1930, his remains were located in a lone grave north of Pozieres, and identified by personal items he had with him. He was re-interred at the Serre Cemetery No. 2, Beaumont Hamel.
Submitted 4 May 2025 by Joan Holloway