Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

"SIX BROTHERS VOLUNTEER FOR SERVICE. FIVE OF THEM ACCEPTED. PARENTS PROUD RECORD. 

Not long since the, story was told in these columns of a lady whose five sons had volunteered for active service. It was a great record, and South Australia was as proud of the mother as the mother was proud of her sons. But these are great times and now a new record has been made. Mr. and Mrs. R.G. Douglas, of Shipster road, Kensington, have seven sons, and six of tlem have volunteered for service at the front. Unfortunately one of the six has a defect in the sight of his right eye, which incapacitates him for military service, and although he offered himself and was fit in every other respect, the impaired sight was a bar, and he was passed out. The seventh son is 43 year of age, and has wife and eight children, so he did not feel called upon to offer himself nor was it up to him to do so. This is a a fine record for any parents to rejoice over, but Mr. and Mrs. Douglas can claim even more, for they have two grandsons (Privates D. G. T. Woods and C. J. T. Woods), children of their eldest daughter, in the trench at Gallipoli. They are in the famous Third Brigade, of the 10th Battalion, of the First Australian Expeditionary Force, which won imperishable glory at the landing at Gaba Tepe. Both got through that terrible experience without anything worse than scratch and are still manning their trenches. Both Mr. and Mrs. Douglas are native born South Australians and all their children have been bom in this State. Mr. Douglas, who is 75 years of age, is the son of a well known tent maker who was in business in Pirie street for many years. Mrs. Douglas is the eldest daughter of Mr. Edward Bromley, a butcher in Adelaide, one of the earliest colonists of the State. Mr. and Mrs. Douglas have passed the greater portion of their lives in South Australia, though they have at different periods been residents of Broken Hill. The sons who have volunteered are follows; 

Albert E. Douglas, aged 37; rejected, account defective eyesight.
Archie W. Douglas, aged. 35; private, third reinforcements.
Harry R. Douglas, aged 30; lance-corporal, third renforcements.
Hugh N. Douglas, aged 26; private, Army Medical Service Corps.
Wallace Gordon Douglas, aged 23; private, seventh reinforcements.
Tom E. Douglas, aged 20; trooper, Light Horse

The grandsons who have volunteered are;

Private D. G. T. Woods, Third Division, First Expeditionary Force.
Private C. J. T. Woods, Third Division, First Expeditionary Force.

Lance-Corporal H. R. Douglas was slightly wounded at Gallipoli by shrapnel but has recovered and is again in the trenches." - from the Adelaide Daily News 17 Aug 1915 (nla.gov.au)

Harry Robert Douglas Biography

Harry Robert Douglas was an Australian soldier who fought with the ANZACs in Gallipoli during World War 1. He was born in Thebarton, South Australian, in June of 1885. For his childhood, he lived in Penola, South Australia, with his 7 brothers, 3 sisters, and parents. Six of the Douglas children, including Harry Robert Douglas, volunteered for service, and five were accepted. Along with the brothers, two of Harry Douglas’ nephews served in Gallipoli as well as a cousin of his. He worked as a jockey in his early life and was married to his wife Olive Mary Morton Douglas.

Douglas enlisted to serve in WW1 on the 28th of November 1914 at Oaklands. He was 29 and 5 months old when he enrolled, and he was already married. In his medical records, Douglas was 5 foot 5 inches tall, weighed 143 pounds, had a chest measurement of 35 inches, brown eyes, and dark hair. Douglas’ service number was 1333 and he was the rank of a private, he was appointed to the 2nd Reinforcements in the 10th Infantry Battalion. After joining the 10th Battalion, he went to the Gallipoli Peninsula via His Majesty’s transport Ionian on the 2nd of March in 1915. They arrived at ANZAC Cove on the 25th of April 1915. Unfortunately, Douglas was badly injured on the 19th of May 1915. The battle he was hurt in was noted in the 10th Battalion's official unit diary as successful as the enemy was greatly affected by it. Douglas was badly wounded by a shell explosion during this fight; he had been hit with shrapnel on his cheek, left arm, and chest. Because of his injuries, he was admitted to the Casualty Clearing Station on the 22nd of May 1915. He was then transferred to Galeka Hospital, but later was admitted to 1st Australian Stationary Hospital on the 29th of May 1915. After returning to the trenches, Douglas was absent without leave from the 15th to the 18th of July 1915. Then on the 25th of July 1915, he went to hospital sick, he was admitted to the Casualty Clearing station but then transferred to a Fleetsweeper. From there he was transferred to 2 other hospitals and was diagnosed with deafness and rheumatism. He was moved from the hospital ship, Somali to St Andrews Hospital on the 31st of July 1915. Because of his declining health, Douglas left Gallipoli for England on the 8th of August 1915. There, he was admitted to London General Hospital, Benmark Hill, on the 10th of August 1915. He was finally discharged after he was classified medically unfit and embarked back to Australia on the 12th of December 1915 on the Star of England ship. His total service in war adds up to 1 year and 207 days, but he was abroad for 1 year and 1 day.

Because of his service, Douglas was awarded with the 1914/15 star metal on the 29th of December in 1919, the British war Medal, and a Victory Medal. Harry Robert Douglas survived the war and lived for many years with his wife, Olive Douglas, at Fowlers St Woodforde, SA. He sadly passed away at the Repatriation General Hospital on the 19th of September in 1950 at the age of 65. Harry Robert Douglas’ grave can be found at the AIF Cemetery in West Terrance, Adelaide on Row 8 and Grave 26.

Harry Robert Douglas Biography

Harry Robert Douglas was an Australian soldier who fought with the ANZACs in Gallipoli during World War 1. He was born in Thebarton, South Australian, in June of 1885. For his childhood, he lived in Penola, South Australia, with his 7 brothers, 3 sisters, and parents. Six of the Douglas children, including Harry Robert Douglas, volunteered for service, and five were accepted. Along with the brothers, two of Harry Douglas’ nephews served in Gallipoli as well as a cousin of his. He worked as a jockey in his early life and was married to his wife Olive Mary Morton Douglas.

Douglas enlisted to serve in WW1 on the 28th of November 1914 at Oaklands. He was 29 and 5 months old when he enrolled, and he was already married. In his medical records, Douglas was 5 foot 5 inches tall, weighed 143 pounds, had a chest measurement of 35 inches, brown eyes, and dark hair. Douglas’ service number was 1333 and he was the rank of a private, he was appointed to the 2nd Reinforcements in the 10th Infantry Battalion. After joining the 10th Battalion, he went to the Gallipoli Peninsula via His Majesty’s transport Ionian on the 2nd of March in 1915. They arrived at ANZAC Cove on the 25th of April 1915. Unfortunately, Douglas was badly injured on the 19th of May 1915. The battle he was hurt in was noted in the 10th Battalion's official unit diary as successful as the enemy was greatly affected by it. Douglas was badly wounded by a shell explosion during this fight; he had been hit with shrapnel on his cheek, left arm, and chest. Because of his injuries, he was admitted to the Casualty Clearing Station on the 22nd of May 1915. He was then transferred to Galeka Hospital, but later was admitted to 1st Australian Stationary Hospital on the 29th of May 1915. After returning to the trenches, Douglas was absent without leave from the 15th to the 18th of July 1915. Then on the 25th of July 1915, he went to hospital sick, he was admitted to the Casualty Clearing station but then transferred to a Fleetsweeper. From there he was transferred to 2 other hospitals and was diagnosed with deafness and rheumatism. He was moved from the hospital ship, Somali to St Andrews Hospital on the 31st of July 1915. Because of his declining health, Douglas left Gallipoli for England on the 8th of August 1915. There, he was admitted to London General Hospital, Benmark Hill, on the 10th of August 1915. He was finally discharged after he was classified medically unfit and embarked back to Australia on the 12th of December 1915 on the Star of England ship. His total service in war adds up to 1 year and 207 days, but he was abroad for 1 year and 1 day.

Because of his service, Douglas was awarded with the 1914/15 star metal on the 29th of December in 1919, the British war Medal, and a Victory Medal. Harry Robert Douglas survived the war and lived for many years with his wife, Olive Douglas, at Fowlers St Woodforde, SA. He sadly passed away at the Repatriation General Hospital on the 19th of September in 1950 at the age of 65. Harry Robert Douglas’ grave can be found at the AIF Cemetery in West Terrance, Adelaide on Row 8 and Grave 26.