Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alan Jabe Bona Dodd was the second child of World War I serviceman, Edward Gilmore (Hughie) Dodd and Alma Dodd (nee Whiskin). He was born on 14 September 1923 and educated at Wesley College.

Gifted in sports, Alan was the captain of the Wesley tennis team and was the under 14 State Champion Boy Tennis player in 1936. At 16, in a team of four, the Mursell Cup was won for the first time by Wesley. Alan was also captain of the Wesley football team and a member of the school 11 cricket team. His school blazer held the colours for football, tennis and cricket 'A' teams.

In 1941 Alan was centre-half forward with the East Fremantle Football Club, having trained with them in 1940. He was hauled off by Hughie, who thought he was too young to play football and that it would affect his knees!

After Wesley, Alan became an article clerk with a legal partnership and in 1943 matriculated from the faculty of Arts, UWA through correspondence lessons, having enlisted in the AIF. His service records show that he had two years' previous experience in the cadets and held the cadet rank of Sergeant.

Alan met aircraftwoman, Marie Enid Grieve while he was posted on active service with the AIF and on leave in Queensland. They were married in Alan's home state of Western Australia in 1947. Sadly he was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the first years of marriage, a disease he overcame after years of hospitalisation.

In 1949 Alan was admitted to the bar, having done his articles whilst hospitalised. In 1955 Alan was appointed as a Solicitor in the Crown Law Department and rose to Chief Crown Prosecutor. He recalled his greated prosecuting triumphs as the Reid/Murray scandal (a fraud resulting in the jailing of two Directors) and the prosecution of murderer, Eric Edgar Cooke (the last man to be hanged in WA).

After divorce, Alan married secondly, police officer, Frances Maud Murray. Fran posthumously applied for his war medals: the 1939/45 Star; the Pacific Star; the War Medal 1939/45; and the Australian Service Medal 1939/45. Later the Australian Service Medal 1945-75 with NG clasp.