DOBE, John
| Service Numbers: | 80, 4677 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 18th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Ipswich, Queensland, Australia, 23 March 1880 |
| Home Town: | Georgetown, Etheridge, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 29 August 1918, aged 38 years |
| Cemetery: |
Assevillers New British Cemetery, Picardie, France II. F. 10. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Nambour Heroes Walk, Nambour Maroochy Shire War Dead Memorial, Yandina War Memorial |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 80, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 80, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 488 notes 5th QIB embarked at Pinkenba 6 Mar 1901 aboard Templemore arriving Port Elizabeth 1 Apr 1901. | |
| 5 May 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 80, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 491 notes 5th QIB embarked at Cape Town 27 Mar 1902 aboard St Andrew returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 30 Apr 1902, disbanded 5 May 1902. |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 4677, 18th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr 1916: | Involvement 4677, 18th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 13 Apr 1916: | Embarked 4677, 18th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney | |
| 29 Aug 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 4677, 18th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4677 awm_unit: 18 Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-08-29 |
John Dobe's Family
John was one of three boys and seven girls born to Henry and Sophia (nee Butterfield) Dobe. Pte John Dobe served in the Boer War with his brother Henry. At 35, he enlisted in WWI and served with the 18 Bn Infantry. He was KIA on 29th August 1918.
Submitted 19 February 2023 by Lisle Gorham
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
He served in both the South African (Boer) war and WW1 (K.I.A.). First service was as a Private S.N. 80 in the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Boer war. Second service comprised serving in 2 different battalions firstly as a Private rising to Lance Corporal S.N. 17/391, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Tropical Unit; and then as a Corporal S.N. 4677, 18th Infantry Battalion, AIF, WW1 and was K.I.A. while serving in France.
His younger brother, Henry Dobe, also served in the Boer war in the same 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen contingent.
When John Dobe enlisted in 1901 for the Boer war in the 5th QIB and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 16 Mar 1901, he noted his N.O.K. as his mother Mrs. S. Dobe, Edith St, Paddington, Brisbane.
He enlisted again in 1914 at Liverpool, NSW, and on his Attestation Paper, dated 9 Nov 1914, it was noted that; he was born at Ipswich and was 34 years 7 months of age; he was single and a bushman; and his N.O.K. was his sister May (Mabel) Dobe, Moore Park, Sydney. He was discharged from this service on 31 Dec 1915.
He then enlisted again in 1916 at Casula, NSW, and on his Attestation Paper, dated 24 Jan 1916, it was noted that; he was born at Ipswich and was 35 years 10 months of age; he was single and a miner; his N.O.K. was his mother Mrs. S. Dobe, South Brisbane; and he had previously served with the 5th QIB in South Africa.
John Dobe was born on 23 Mar 1880 at Ipswich, Qld, a son to Henry Dobe and Sophia Dobe (nee Butterfield). His WW1 attestation papers indicate that he was single and a biography provided by a grand neice to the Australian Boer War Memorial suggest he never married.
However, on page 56 of his WW1 service record there is a letter from 2nd District Base Office on 15 Dec 1922 resonding to Base Records as to whether they had a later address for this soldiers mother for distribution of some medals. In the response they noted that his war gratuity had been paid to his widow Mrs. F. M. Dobe, Georgetown, Queensland. Documentation on page 55 indicates that she also then recieved his war medals.
BDM Qld online marriage register records a John Dobe marrying Frances Mishall Edwards in Queensland on 4 May 1906.
(source- AWM Boer war Nominal Roll, Murray p. 495; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB, Bk 1 p. 107; National Archives Australia- WW1 service record).
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