Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Name: Walter Gordon Douglas
Service Number: 867
Place of Birth: Brompton
Date of Birth: 9 September 1892
Place of Enlistment: Morphettville
Date of Enlistment: 31 August 1914
Age at Enlistment: 21 years
Next of Kin: Mother, Ellen Williams { remarried}
Occupation: Labourer
Religion: Church of England
Rank: Private
Gordon, as he was commonly known, left Adelaide with the 50th Battalion on board A11 Ascanius on 20 October 1914. He had a troublesome time in the Army being hospitalised on at least six occasions and was regularly in conflict due to breaching military behavioural guidelines. Gordon served at Gallipoli during which he contracted dysentery and was hospitalised at Heliopolis. In September 1916 amidst several hospital admissions he was found guilty of being in possession of gambling equipment and resisting arrest.
While serving in France Gordon was absent without leave on two occasions and was docked 14 days’ pay for producing a false pass. He was again absent without leave from 14 January to 25 February 1918 and was declared an illegal absentee on 11 February. Gordon was still absent on
7 May when he was court-martialled, despite having been apprehended in late February. He was discharged from military prison on the suspension of his sentence on 27 October 1918. Gordon returned to his unit at
the end of January 1919. He returned to Australia in April on board the Commonwealth. During the voyage home he was again hospitalised for a number of ailments including scabies.
It is puzzling how Gordon was able to remain absent without leave for such long periods during which the Army had no idea of his whereabouts. Their response to his mother’s request for information on her son’s location was “he must be abroad with his unit.”
After perusing his medical and other records it is surprising that he wasn’t sent home before the end of the war.