S5719
DOMAN, Charles
| Service Number: | 2629 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Trooper |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Mount Schank, Grant - South Australia, Australia, October 1897 |
| Home Town: | Mount Schank, Grant, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Natural Causes , Mount Schank, Grant - South Australia, Australia, 14 November 1974 |
| Cemetery: |
Mount Gambier Lake Terrace Cemetery |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Trooper, 2629, 3rd Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 2629, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Katuna embarkation_ship_number: A13 public_note: '' | |
| 23 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Trooper, 2629, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Katuna, Adelaide | |
| 31 Oct 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Trooper, 2629, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Battle of Beersheba, Suffered GSW in foot and neck. Invalided to Australia. | |
| 28 Dec 1917: | Discharged AIF WW1, Trooper, 2629, 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
Help us honour Charles Doman's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
In October of 1897 Charles Doman was born in a small country town near Mount Gambier called Mount Schank. He was one of five children to his parents Mary and Charles. He had two sisters named Vera and Katherine as well as two brothers William and Joseph. Charles attended Mount Schank public school but he spent lots of his time outside on his family farm, which lead him to be a farming laborer in his early teenage years. On January 26, 1916 Charles enlisted for the First World War with his brother older brother William. Just under five months later on June 23, 1916 Charles boarded the HMAT A13 boat called “Katuna” from Adelaide to Suez Port, Egypt. This is where Charles’ journey in World War 1 began.
Charles had never been involved in anything like war before 1916. When he arrived in Egypt he was taken on strength (permanently transferred) to the 3rd Light Horse Regiment on the 10th of August 1916. That same day he marched out to the 1st Light Horse Brigade and was struck off strength (removed) from the 3rd Light Horse Regiment. 5 days later Charles was taken on strength and added back into the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, he then fought in the Battle of Romani. The battle of Romani was held in the Sinai Peninsular in Egypt. The Battle of Romani was the first major battle after Gallipoli. After two days of fighting the ANZAC equestrian troops took the main force of the Turkish attacks resulting in 900 deaths. During the Battle of Romani, Charles remained healthy and un-injured.
The following fourteen months after the battle of the Romani Charles remained in Egypt and completed multiple training courses. This extended period of training prepared Charles for the Battle of Beersheba which took place on the 31st of October 1917. The battle of Beersheba was the most influential battle Charles fought in. On the morning of October 31, the men of the Australian light horse brigade were ready to make a remarkable effort on the desert town called Beersheba. The town of Beersheba was a strategically significant town as it was the home to the Turks only water source. During the Battle of Beersheba Charles was badly wounded in the foot and neck. He was later transferred to the base hospital, and later to Cairo. Over a month later Charles was still in hospital and it was recommended that he returned to Australia to recover properly. On the 28th of December 1917, Charles boarded the “Tofua” with many other injured soldiers. He left Egypt and began his journey home.
When he returned to Port Adelaide his mother was waiting for him at the train station. After returning to Australia Charles returned to full health. Over 15 years later Charles got married to an Australian women named Margaret. In December of 1936 Margaret and Charles conceived their first son and only child Charles (Chas) Doman. Sadly Charles Doman passed away on the 14th of November 1974 at the age of 76 due to natural causes. He is now buried in the Mount Gambier Lake Terrace Cemetery, Australia.
During Charles’ time in World War 1 he showed many qualities of the ANZAC spirit. Before the war Charles was a farm labourer, from this piece of information we can assume he helped with the horses as he often fought whilst mounted. After World War 1 he decided to enlist for WW2, this shows he was enthusiastic about helping his country and he must have had some fun during WW1 as he was eager to experience it all again.