Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Edward “Teddy” Albert Doodson was only three years old when the first of his big brothers, Walter (/explore/people/248642) and Frederick (/explore/people/134076), sailed for the Great War in 1914. Three more brothers applied to join the AIF, with his eldest brother Charles (/explore/people/107933), sailing from Sydney in 1916. The deaths of Fred and Charles significantly impacted the family, not least Edward, as he witnessed the family's struggle to keep their home and his mother, Matilda, retreating to her room with the “photographs of all her sons (they all sat on her wicker-what-not in her formal dining room) and place them on the bed and cry”^* every Anzac Day.

Edward Doodson and Sylvia Wilson married on what appears to have been Anzac Day 1936. The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (nla.gov.au) reported, “a very pretty wedding was celebrated at the Lidcombe Congregational Church on Saturday,” the following Thursday.

Being a married man with a young family, Edward wasn’t swept up in initial youthful enthusiasm to enlist at the outbreak of the Second World War. After Japan entered the war and with Australia in danger, Edward enlisted. Having completed his initial training by May 1942, Edward was posted to 36th Battalion who were in the final stages of preparations for deployment to New Guinea. On the 17th May, Edward boarded the troop transport, Swartenhondt. Two days later his mother Matilda died. It appears Edward returned ashore as he re-embarked on the 24th when the ship sailed from Sydney harbour, arriving in Port Moresby two weeks later. Edward’s first three months in Papua, consisted of garrison duties and long range patrols in the Owen Stanley Ranges.

On the 11th September 1942, Edward was detached to Honner Force. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Horner, 500 men marched out towards Menari and Nauro. Progress was slow in the difficult terrain, however they had made Omaramara by the nineteenth. Like many of the early operations, the lack of logistical support and exhaustion proved costly and the mission was aborted. The force returned to Port Moresby and were disbanded. Returning to the 36th Battalion, Edward was based at Murray Barracks until the 14th December when they received notice to move. The first troops flew out of Wards aerodrome the following afternoon. Landing at Poppondetta and Dobodura they marched to Soputa in preparation for the third assault on the Sanananda road block.

At 0722 on the 19th December 1942, the artillery and mortar barrage commenced in preparation for the zero hour infantry assault eight minutes later. The battle raged for days however it was on the second day that Edward received a gunshot wound to the chest. Evacuated to the Australian Hospital Ship Manunda, Edward disembarked in Brisbane on the 2nd January 1943 and was placed on the ambulance train to Sydney. He was admitted to the 113 Australian General Hospital the following day. His recovery from the gunshot wound and bouts of malaria took four months, with Edward rejoining the 36th at their staging camp in Cairns at the end of May. In July they embarked for another tour in New Guinea, serving in Port Moresby, Soputa, Buna-Oro Bay, Lae, Wau and Bulolo.

On the 6th October 1944, Edward embarked once more on the Swartenhondt, this time bound for New Britain. Here the Battalion gained a reputation for their abilities at amphibious landings and long range patrols and were instrumental in the containment of the Japanese.

In March 1945, Edward was granted leave. It took 16 days to make the journey from New Britain to Sydney and his family. Retracing his steps in early May, Edward arrived in New Britain a few weeks before his battalion were relieved and returned to Australia. On the 27th August 1945, the 36th Battalion paraded for the final time and the next day Edward was posted to 5ARD for discharge. Another bout of malaria delayed this however and once he had regained his health, Edward was discharged on the 8th October 1945 having served 1340 days, 865 of those overseas with the 36th Battalion. Reference to the 55th Battalion was purely for administrative purposes in finalising his discharge as the 36th had been disbanded.

*Email 25-08-2017 Standen/Hoinville "Doodson Brothers"