Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

DOUST, Ernest Henry Esperance (1899-1993)

1st Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron

Ernest Henry Esperance Doust (Harry) was born on 12 December 1899 in Esperance, Western Australia, the ninth of twelve children of George William Doust and Catherine (Kate) Griffin. He worked as a labourer when he enlisted in the AIF on 17 September 1917 at Katanning, Western Australia a month after his brother, Jack, had been killed in Belgium during the Battle of Broodseinde. Two more of his brothers, George and Jim, were also serving in France

Harry enlisted as a member of the 1st Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron serving in the Middle East. Harry embarked on the troopship Canberra at Fremantle on 24 November 1917 and arrived in Egypt on 21 December for training at the Light Horse reinforcements camp at Moascar. Harry spent the first weeks of the new year isolated in hospital with mumps, but he was finally able to begin training on 26 January 1918.

On 6 May Harry joined his unit which was then located at Jericho in Palestine.

The 1st Light Horse Brigade was engaged in the raid on Es Salt in April and May 1919 and then launched a counterattack on 14 July during the Battle of Abu Tellul following an attack by two Ottoman divisions. Following this, the Allies renewed their offensive, during which the Anzac Mounted Division was assigned to a mixed force that became known as Chaytor's Force to join the Third Transjordan attack, supporting the main drive towards Damascus further to the north. The Australian Mounted Division who were advancing along the coast, employed cavalry tactics, having been issued swords and trained in their use in August; however, the Anzac Mounted Division continued to be employed as mounted rifles. In late September, the brigade took part in the Second Battle of Amman. During their final battle of the war, the brigade helped clear the west bank of the Jordan, before crossing the river at Uniin esh Sher and then advanced to Es Salt, before later advancing to Suweile and supporting the capture of Amman. On 30 October, the Ottomans surrendered, and the Armistice of Mudros came into effect, bringing an end to the fighting in the theatre.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Light_Horse_Brigade

On the day the war ended in Europe Harry was admitted to the British 36th Stationary Hospital in Gaza with Malaria. He was evacuated to the 14th Australian General Hospital at Moascar on 24 November. He re-joined his unit in the field on 6 February but the Malaria returned and he was back in hospital again in April. Harry embarked for Australia from the Egyptian port of Suez on 17 July 1919 on the troopship Dunluce Castle arriving in Fremantle on 17 August. He was discharged from the AIF on 12 November 1919.

After the war, Harry lived for a while with his family in Esperance. He married Susannah Emily White in Manjimup in 1929. The couple lived for several years in Pemberton where Harry was employed as a timber worker. Susannah died on 16 August 1978 in Perth aged 78 and Harry on 19 October 1993 at Mt Lawley (Perth) aged 93. Both were buried in Pemberton.