Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Walter Victor Doodson listed his mother, Matilda, as next of kin when completing his enlistment application to serve abroad with the Australian Imperial Force. His younger brother, Frederick Allen Doodson (/explore/people/134076), who had enlisted only days earlier, gave their father, Edward, as his next of kin. The two boys sailed from Sydney in October 1914 and disembarked in Egypt where they continued training with their respective battalions. During their time at Mena Camp they were able to meet up and were photographed together not long before they sailed for the Dardanelles.

Walter and Fred were among the second and third waves to land at Gallipoli on the morning of 25 April 1915. Walter survived the initial onslaught, however Fred was wounded and evacuated to a hospital ship.

A month later, "Writing from the trenches ín Gallipoli Private Walter Doodson, who dates his letter May 27, says:—"The Turks are sending in plenty of shrapnel and 'Jack Johnsons,' which seem to do very little damage. Last, Friday we had a narrow escape from three of them. The second landed 10 yards from us, ploughing up about three tons of earth and burying a mate in the heap, and we were all pasted over with a shower of mud and dirt. While we were digging our mate out a third bomb buried itself a few yards off, and gave us another stinging dirt bath. We soon had our mate out. He was alive, with α twisted leg and a sprained foot, which put him completely out." from the Warwick Examiner and Times 17 July 1915 (nla.gov.au)

In these same trenches, Walter was promoted to Lance Corporal in June. It is unclear exactly when Walter suffered the bayonet wound to his right knee, as it was considered "slight" and was no doubt treated in the field. As the 3rd Battalion made their final preparations for the  Lone Pine offensive, Walter was admitted to the 1st Australian Stationary Hospital at Mudros on the 5 August 1915. Misdiagnosed as having arthritis in his right knee, Walter was actually suffering from cellulitis, a bacterial infection. When he was eventually admitted to the 19th General Hospital in Alexandria three weeks later, the cable sent to his mother stated his condition as "pyrexia not yet diagnosed" - a raging temperature. 

On the 23 September 1915, Walter sailed on the 'Karoola' as part of the sick convoy bound for England. Two weeks later, he was admitted to the 3rd Western General Hospital in Cardiff. The following February, his mother was notified that "No 910 Private W. V. Doodson 3rd Battalion is returning to Australia by H. M. Transport 'Star of Victoria' which left England 19th January 1916."

The majority of wounded were disembarked in Melbourne before the 'Star of Victoria' continued onto Sydney where the Sunday Times' 5 March 1916 edition, announced their arrival with the headlines "HOME AGAIN! UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL OF TRANSPORT YESTERDAY. 127 WOUNDED"

In May, Walter's eldest brother, Charles Edward Doodson (/explore/people/107933), sailed from Sydney to the war that now raged on the Western Front. Eight weeks later, Walter's war was officially over when he was discharged medically unfit from the AIF. The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (nla.gov.au) report on the 26 August 1916, that Walter had re-enlisted; "He has made excellent progress since his return home and feels fit again. He went into camp on Wednesday. On the previous night he was present, at the Lidcombe Town Hall at a welcome home to the newly-returned soldiers, and was given a great ovation by a crowded gathering on Ex-Mayor Kingsley announcing that he was going a second time to the war", cannot be substantiated from surviving records.

Both W. V. Doodson and his brother F. A. Doodson, are included on the Lidcombe War Memorial.