Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Vincent James DOWLING and Francis Emily nee BRILLATT

Lieutenant W.V. Dowling of the Australian Horse, Mudgee was commanding the patrol surprised by the Boers at Rensburg on the 16th  and was captured after his horse was shot and he was wounded in the cheek and leg.

Lieutenant Willoughby Vincent Dowling of the First Australia Horse arrived at Cape Town 13th December 1899 from Sydney. He saw action at Arundel 13 January 1900.

Lieutenant Dowling in charge of a troop of Lancers and Austrlaian Horse when returning to camp at Slingersfontein was surrounded, and after a sharp fight in which Sergeant Major Griffin of the Australian Horse was killed (incidentally the first Australian to be killed in the South African War 1899-1902), and the officer severely wounded, the patrol then surrendered.

On the 14th March 1900, Dowling was found in the Bloemfontein Free State Hospital, now fully convalescent.

Lieut. Dowling had lost the sight of one eye, the right thumb and was wounded in the thigh.

The death occurred of the well known pastoralist, Mr. Willoughby Vincent Dowling, of "Loowee," Bringelly, at the age of 70. Mr. Dowlingwas born in  Queensland, and at the age of 12 went to England where he was educated at Eton. He left Eton to continue his education in Germany, and returned to  Australia at the age of 21, when he joined the old Australian Light Horse.
During the Boer War Mr. Dowling was severely wounded and taken prisoner. He lost an arm and the sight of an eye. After the war he returned to Australia and resumed life as a grazier. He owned several properties throughout New South Wales, including Gummin Gummin in the Gulargambone  district, and was a member of the Graziers' Association. He was a member of the Australian Jockey Club and the Union Club. He was a brother of Mrs.  Richard Dangar, Mrs. Hubert Fairfax, and Mr. Frank Osborne Dowling, of Walla Coonamble. He is survived by his daughter, Mrs. Barney Joyce, of  Queensland.