Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

This Biography is Courtesy of Dianne Strahan and Val McKenzie, Cumnock, April 2019 - cumnocknswmemorials.com ------
Biography
Edward William Dowling was born 11th Jan 1891 at Dubbo to Martin and Ada Dowling. He was employed at Mumford Bros, an old established drapery, clothing and mixed business at Macquarie Street, Dubbo. He enlisted on 10th Jan 1916 at Liverpool, NSW. He was aged one day off 25 years, was 5 feet 10 inches tall, had blue eyes, brown hair and a fresh complexion. He embarked on 26th April 1916 at Sydney, on HMAT Port Macquarie as a member of the 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment.
Trooper Dowling was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry and devotion to duty on 6 November 1917 and wounded in action with a gunshot wound to his left arm on 8 Apr 1918. He returned to Australia on 24 April 1919 per Ulimaroa and was discharged from the AIF on 8th June 1919.
Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent - Tuesday 26 Sept.1916, p4:
“Trooper Ted Dowling, who at the time of enlisting was employed by Messrs. Mumford Bros., wrote his mother, Mrs. Dowling, Carrington Ave., two long letters from Egypt last month. He referred to the ‘scrap’ the Australians had with the Turks.
He and others left to join the regiment about a week before the fight
started, but they only reached the base, where they have since been engaged in transport work. They were set more than a mile and a half from the trenches, and their first intimation of the fighting was when awakened early on the morning by aeroplanes dropping bombs close by. Judging by the prisoners that were marched passed on the following morning the fight was all against the Turks.
Ted concluded one of his letters by expressing an opinion that he would be home by Xmas. Writing a week later, Trooper Dowling stated that their camp had been sheltered, so that they were not right in the firing line, but they were close to the danger zone. He saw one shell shatter nine horses.”
Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent - Tuesday 5 Feb 1918, p1:
“Trooper Ted Dowling in a letter to his mother... referred to the fall of Jaffa and Jerusalem. He said ‘We had some very stiff fighting, and at times the pace we travelled was almost too fast for the food transport. One or two days we lived on fresh air and water. On November 3rd we had a very solid day. Stan Cross [1088 Stanley Cross – 1st LHR] and I have both been awarded military medals. Stan has since been slightly wounded in the calf of the leg. On the march to Jerusalem we passed through villages where we could buy bread and eggs, and a little butter.’ At time of writing Trooper Dowling was having a rest. Sergt. Claude Dowling, who was killed about twelve months ago, a brother of the writer of above letter, also won a military medal.”
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL - MILITARY MEDALS
“1st Light Horse Regiment 2467 Trooper Edward Dowling. While in action at Tel Khuweileh, Palestine, on 3rd November 1917 and working as a stretcher bearer, he made four journeys into the open under heavy rifle fire and machine gun fire and brought in wounded. For one man he had to move in the open for 400 yards after other stretcher bearers had been killed while they were trying to carry out the wounded.”
DUBBO, NSW
PTE Edward William DOWLING, M.M.
Vivian Claude Dowling (known as Claude) was Ted’s younger brother whose occupation was a draper before he enlisted at Dubbo on 2nd November 1914, aged 21 years. He served with the 3rd Battalion in Egypt, Gallipoli and France.
Pte 1348 Claude Dowling won the Military Medal at Pozières, France on 25th July 1916.
“Pte Dowling attended to wounded under heavy sniping and artillery fire (although not a stretcher bearer) at the time when stretcher bearers were not available. His general work throughout the action as a runner was of a very high order.” Claude was promoted to Corporal soon after this action and then to a Lance Sergeant in March 1917.
Claude Dowling was killed in action in France on 9th April 1917 during an attack at Hermies by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions. The attack was successful with three machine guns and 31 German prisoners captured.
The 3rd Btn suffered 1 officer and 25 other ranks killed and one officer and 45 other ranks wounded. Lance Sergeant Claude Dowling was buried at the Beaumetz Cemetery, Picardie, France.
After Edward Dowling returned to Australia, he worked as a salesman and married Sarah Agnes Mabel Lewis at Dubbo in 1925. They had two sons, Douglas and Bruce. The family lived in Dubbo until 1933 when they moved to Bourke where Ted worked as a salesman at Hales and Company. In 1936 they moved to Gulgong where Ted bought Mr G B Notley’s mixed business store (formerly owned by T.H. Marks & Co.)
In 1938 Edward Dowling sold his shop and moved to Cumnock to work at the Black Brothers store. His wife Sarah moved to Sydney to live at Kogarah. Ted would spend his annual holidays in Sydney and his sons often visited him at Cumnock.
Edward enlisted in the Australian Army at Molong during WW2 on 26th March 1942. Pte Dowling – N350078, B SUB KIT STORE, served at Bathurst and Sydney. He was discharged from the army on 26 Oct 1945 and was one of a number of servicemen and women welcomed back to Cumnock in January 1946.
Ted Dowling was a member of the Cumnock-Yeoval branch of the RSL and participated in plans for the laying of the foundation stone of the RSL Hall on 16 December 1950. Unfortunately, Ted did not get to see the opening of the Cumnock Memorial Gates and RSL Hall on 24 August 1954 (picture right) as he died as a result of a car accident on Monday 25 January 1954.
Wellington Times - Thursday 28 January 1954, p5:
“CUMNOCK MOURNS ACCIDENT VICTIM’S DEATH
Residents of Cumnock and district were shocked on Monday last when news was received that Mr. E. Dowling, who was in a motor accident on Sunday evening, had died early that morning from injuries received. The car, a light model sedan, in which there were three occupants, got out of control when it skidded in loose gravel and turned over twice. The accident happened about three miles from Cumnockon the Yeoval Road. The car, which was extensively damaged, was the property of Mr. Walter Murray, who had left the car a short time prior to the accident to drive some cattle to his residence, a short distance from where the accident occurred. One of the occupants then took over to drive the car back to
Mr. Murray’s residence.
The late Mr. Dowling, who had been in charge of the mercery and drapery department at Black Bros., Cumnock, for 15 years, was well known and very highly respected by all with whom he came in contact. He was a returned soldier of World War 1 and took an active part in the activities of the RSL.
He is survived by the widow, two sons and his mother. He was 63 years of age.
The members of the RSL acted as pallbearers and they also formed a guard of honour at the Church and at the graveside. The coffin was draped with a Union Jack and a large number of wreaths were placed at the graveside. The funeral, which took place in the Catholic portion of the Cumnock Cemetery, after a service held in St. Dympna’s Church, was very largely attended. The Rev. Father Creed, of Orange, officiated at the Church service and also at the graveside.”
A finding of accidental death from a broken neck sustained in a car accident near Cumnock, was returned at an inquest held at Molong into Mr Edward Dowling’s death on 25 February 1954. It was noted that the car had skidded in loose gravel and that the driver had not been charged with negligent driving.
Courtesy of Dianne Strahan and Val McKenzie, Cumnock, April 2019

Added Kerry Shooks

Added by Kerry Shooks

Edward Dowling | The Australian War Memorialwww.awm.gov.au › collection
Service number, 2467. Rank, Trooper. Unit, 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment. Service, Australian Imperial Force. Conflict/Operation, First World War, 1914- .

HONOURS AND AWARDS
Edward Dowling
Service number 2467
Rank Trooper
Unit 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment
Service Australian Imperial Force
Conflict/Operation First World War, 1914-1918
Award Military Medal
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 27 June 1918 on page 1392 at position 133
London Gazette 4 February 1918 on page 1618 at position 17

Edward Willaim Dowlong is one of many Dowling young men from Dubbo and surrounding areas that fought in WW1. Edward comes from a long line of Pioneers of Dubbo and surrounding areas. Starting with his great great Grandmother b.1798 Anastatia nee Bulger wife of Martin Dowling b. abt 1798 who is believed died in Killkenny, Ireland. 

Anastasia is buried  15 SEP 1875 • Gulgong NSW attached to Patrick Dunne & Robert Dunne. Edward William is my GG Uncle and  Part of my Family Tree on Ancestry.com as he is for others who enjoy ancestry. Added by Kerry Shooks.