I am proud to say that I am an Australian Baby Boomer. I was the youngest child of four children born to William David Doughty and Edna May Ford Doughty.
I was born in working class Port Melbourne on the 29th of June 1954. I had an older sister Lorraine Edna Doughty, born in 1947, Stanley William John Doughty, born in the Women's Hospital in Carlton in 1950, and Kevin John Doughty, born in the Women's Hospital in Carlton in 1953. My mother had three still births after me. There were four girls, as one birth was a set of twins. One of the twins lived for one day. I remember seeing my father crying. He didn't see me, and that was the first and only time in my life I ever saw him cry. My parents desperately wanted more children, but they were too old to adopt so they fostered two girls, leanne and Lori in 1961 from an orphanage in Burwood. Leanne lived with us for three years, and then her biological mother decided to take her back. That took my parents by surprise and they we so upset and so was Leanne. We never saw her again. Lori lived with us for twenty two years. She was part Aboriginal, and one day her older biological sister traced her address to us. She evenually when back to her real family in Canberra and we lost contact with her. That upset my mother until the day she died. Our family was working class, and at the time of my birth in 1954, my dad was working in the Port Melbourne box mills as a labouer. My mother was a house wife who worked at home, like many other women back in those days. Most familys back then had the dad as the 'Bread Winner' and a mum would carry out her home duties. My dad worked hard to bring home a suitable wage. He later worked at the Glazebrooks paint factory in Port Melbourne. He lost his job one day and he worked for the Melbourne City Council. His last job, and it was his most favorate job was with the Port Melbourne City Council as a dustman, riding a horse drawn cart.
Before World War Two William was following a promising career as an apprentist Jockey with Mr Ernest Underwood, a well known racing identity at Williamstown racing stables. Young William was being taught the tricks of the Jockey trade from the well know trainer from those early racing days, Mr R. Sinclair at Wiliamstown race track. William was showing a lot of promise as a jockey and a strapper and then the World War Two began, ending his riding career. William had no choice but to enlist into the Australian Army. He decided it was the right thing for him to do as his three uncles, Uncle Henry Richard Doughty, Uncle Robert Ernest Doughty and Uncle Albert Percy Doughty all served in world War One. Uncle Albert Percy Doughty was killed in action at Gallipoli, two weeks after the landing on the 25th of April 1915.
Young William's father, William David Doughty senior, worked for 'Stokes And Sons', making army badges so he was excempt from fighting in the war.
Young William became a soldier, enlisting with the Australian Imperial force, number VX13720 in 1940.
The newspapers of the day were full of war stories of the invasion of Hitler's German Army in Europe, on the other side of the world. Great Briton declared war on Germany and Australia was one of it's allies, so that meant that Australia, who was part of the British Commonwealth, was also at war with Germany. World War Two was to be fought by the next generation of those men and women who took part in World War One (The War To End All Wars). There was a sense of real excitement, as many of these young men were out of work, and this moment in Australian history gave them the oportunity of earning money, and travelling the World in the service of their Country, Australia. There was conscription in many of the Commonwealth countries, but Australians volunteered to be soldiers, and they were willing fight for their country.
William left for war on board the Ettrick, a Troop transport ship with Tonnage, 11,279 tons. It was built and completed in 1938 by Barclay, Curle & Co, Whiteinch, Glasgow. It's Owner was P. & O. Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London Homeport London .
The Ship Ettrick was eventually attacked and sunk on the 15th of November 1942 by (Adolf Cornelius Piening) U-155, at position 36° 13'N, 7° 54'W - Grid CG 8665. It had a complement of 336 (24 dead and 312 survivors).Convoy MKF-1Y Route Gibraltar - Glasgow Cargo Ballast. History, In 1939 the Ettrick was requisitioned by the Admiralty and used as troop transport. Notes on event - At 04.14 hours on 15 Nov 1942, U-155 fired a spread of four torpedoes at the convoy MKF-1Y about 120 miles northwest of Gibraltar and heard three detonations, but was not able to made visual observations. The Ettrick and the HMS Avenger (D 14) were sunk and the USS Almaack (AK 27) was damaged. The master, 204 crew members, 41 gunners and 66 naval ratings from the Ettrick (Master John Murray Legg) were picked up by the Norwegian destroyer HMS Glaisdale (L 44) and landed at Gibraltar. Six crew members and 18 naval ratings were lost. The master, John Murray Legg, was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE). My father, wouldn't talk very much about his army service. I asked lots of questions to him over many years but it was something he didn't like to talk about, except to his army mates. Every year he would religiously attend his army reunions and meet up with his past army mates. Those soldiers had an amazing connection with each other. They could never be seperated and they stayed very close to each other until the day they all died. I am not a shamed to say that they all loved each other. My father loved his childhood, growing up with his family and his friends and his school mates from Montague, South Melbourne, They all enlisted one by one as a huge and very close family. Those young men had spent most of their childhood together. Many of those young men enlisted into the AIF. My father became a member of Second fifth Battalion, Sixth Division, Seventeenth Brigade. His colour patch was black over red (mud over blood). He once told me that his father wasn't happy with his decision to enlist into the army, and he wasn't allowed to wear his uniform in his father's house. William's brother Albert Percival Doughty also enlisted into the A.I.F. but William refused to fight with his brother in the same unit, as he didn't want the resposibility of looking after him during action. It was enough for William to look after himself. During his service in World War Two, William got engaged to a young lady named Freda and her name was tattooed on his arm. That is all I know about her. She is and for ever wil be a mystery. After the war he met and married Edna May Ford after a very short engagement.
When William was heading for service in Africa, he was extreamly nervous, and he would regulary write to his mother Catherine, his sister Lily and his mother's sister Aunty Jessie, every day. He could barely write but I do have a letter that he wrote to his sisterLily and his mother Catherine.
The Second Fifth Battalion was formed in Melbourne on the 18th of October 1939, as part of the 17th Brigade of the 6th Australian Division. The nucleus of the battalion was assembled in ensuing days at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, but its first drafts of recruits were not received until after it moved to the newly-established camp at Puckapunyal on 2 November 1914. Basic training was completed there prior to the battalion's departure for overseas service on 14 April 1940.
After arriving in the Middle East on 18 May 1940, the battalion undertook further training in Palestine and Egypt. The Second Fifth Battalion took part in its first campaign - the advance against the Italians in Eastern Libya - in January and February 1941, and participated in successful attacks at Bardia (3-5 January) and Tobruk (21-22 January). In early April, the Second Fifth Battalion with he rest of the 6th Division, were deployed to Greece to resist the anticipated German invasion. For the Second Fifth Battalion, the Greek campaign was essentially one long withdrawal from its initial defensive positions at Kalabaka (occupied on 14 April) to the port of Kalamata, from which it was evacuated on 27 April. A party of approximately 50 transport drivers were left behind in Greece and became prisoners of war. A similar sized group landed on Crete and, after fighting with the 17th Brigade Composite Battalion, also suffered the same fate.
Back in Palestine, the Second Fifth Battalion was given little respite. In June and July 1941, it took part in the campaign in Syria, including the climactic battle of Damour (6-10 July) that sealed the defeat of the Vichy French forces. The battalion was destined to remain in Syria and Lebanon as part of the garrison force there until January 1942. It left the Middle East, heading for the war against Japan, on 10 March 1942. The 16th and 17th Brigades, however, were diverted on the voyage home. From early March to early July they defended Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) from possible Japanese attack. The Second Fifth Battalion finally disembarked in Australia, at Melbourne, on 4 August 1942.
The Second Fifth Battalion deployed to Milne Bay, in Papua, in early October 1942 but did not meet the Japanese in battle until the end of January 1943, when it joined the force defending Wau, in New Guinea. After much desperate fighting, the Japanese around Wau were defeated in early February. The Second Fifth Battalion subsequently participated in the drive towards Salamaua and was heavily engaged around Goodview and Mount Tambu in July and August. After arriving back in Australia at Cairns on 23 September 1943, the Second Fifth Battalion spent most of 1944 training in northern Queensland.
On 29 November 1944, the Second Fifth Battalion disembarked at Aitape in New Guinea for its last campaign of the war. It spent much of the next seven months engaged mainly in arduous patrolling to clear the Japanese from the Torricelli and Prince Alexander mountain ranges. It was still engaged in this role when the war ended on 15 August 1945. The battalion embarked to return to Australia on 1 December and disbanded at Puckapunyal in early February 1946. It was one of only two battalions that fought all of Australia's major enemies during the Second World War, Disembarked at Aitape in New Guinea for its last campaign of the war, It spent much of the next seven months engaged mainly in arduous patrolling to clear the Japanese from the Torricelli and Prince Alexander mountain ranges. It was still engaged in this role when the war ended on 15 August 1945. The battalion embarked to return to Australia on 1 December and disbanded at Puckapunyal in early February 1946. It was one of only two battalions that fought all of Australia's major enemies during the Second World War.
When I turned 19 in 1973 I purchased my first car, an old 1952 Morris Minor. My dad took an imediate liking to this old car and he would love me picking him up from work when I was available. In 1974 the Second fifth Battalion were having their annual ANZAC Day re-union at the Melbourne town hall. My dad asked me to take him there as he had been ill for a couple of previous re-unions and now, that he had me to drive him there, he was keen to attend it. I was so honoured and proud to be asked by him to be his escort, and as it turned out, it was to be his very last re-union ever. I remember as we first walked in, how the hall first went silent, and somebody yelled out, "Their's Doc Doughty" and everyone imediately turned to him and aplauded. I was so proud of my father at that moment.
My dad took me over to meet two of his mates. I had no idea that they were legends, both military Cross winners, Les 'Bull' Allen and the full blooded Aboriginal hero, Reg Saunders. It would be a lot later when I discovered what heroic deeds these two wonderful brave men did in wartime. All these men were in their fifties but they were like school friends reliving they deeds from their military past. Reg Saunders and Les Allen told me to look after my dad because he was a war hero. Imagine hearing that from two Military Cross winners. Two of the most iconic pictures show sergeant Reg Saunders in front oif a train with a group of his soldiers. Reg stands out out with his black skin and movie star looks. Then there is the picture of Les 'Bull' Allen carrying a wounded American soldier to safety. He carried one soldier after another while being shot at by a japanese machine gun. He finally collapsed from loss of blood from a bullet wound to his arm. Some time later, Les Allen had a run in with an officer, and he was threatened with court martial, but then his commanding officer received notification that Les Alllen was to be recomended for the highest American award for his bravery in saving those American soldiers. The award was to be personally presented to Les Allen by the USA President's wife, Elenor Rosevelt.
The wonderful part of that very special night was when Les and Reg told me to look after my Dad because he was awar hero. Imagine two Australian heroes saying that about my dad. I was, and still am so very proud. The one thing that stood out to me that night was watching the First World War One soldiers congregating at one end of the hall, and the Second World War Soldiers Congregating at the other end of the room.
It was hard to know what happened in wartime as my dad wouldn' t talk very much about it. He would sometimes tell us some little stories but not any thing with detail. He once spoke to me of the time he and his Battalion were escaping from Crete, He told me how frightened he was when he saw dozens of German paratroopers leeping from Aeroplanes in Crete. He told me that they looked like six foot tall men but maybe that was just the impression he got that day. He told me of the day he was ordered to check out if there was any one alive in some bombed out German tanks. He was sickened at what he found. He said that the bodies were just like roasted beef. He said that escaping from the Germans in Crete, was one of the most frightening moments he had during World WarTwo.
After my father passed away in 1976 my mother decided that she would turn up to the Melbourne march each year, in honour of her late husband. For the first couple of years my mother Edna wore my dad's medals and the old Second Fifth Battalion soldiers were happy to have her there, except for the officers in command and also the marshalls of the march. They approached my mother and they told her that she was not allowed to march, as women who were non serving ladies were not to take part in the ANZAC Day march. That night on ANZAC Day 1982 my mother came home devastated and in tears. I was angry at the way they treated my mother, so the following year I put the medals on my four year old son Timothy, and he wore my dad's World War Two slouch hat, and I carried him on my shoulders from the beginning to the end of the Melbourne march. So It was then that I began to learn more about my father. I attended the ANZAC Day march in 1983. My young son Tim got to speak to my dad's former mates, and they all were thrilled to see me and him. They called him young Doc. Doc was a nickname given to my father in World War Two by one of his sergeants, Ivor White. Ivor told me that he kept mis-pronouncing William's surname Doughty to Docarty and then Docarty Doughty, so he and every one else started to call him Doc. That nickname stuck with him him for the the rest of his life.
Each year I was fortunate enough to meet so many of my dad's mates. Rodger Hagen was an interesting man. He went to school with my dad and he grew up with my dad in Montague, South Melbourne. Roger Hagen was into boxing in a big way after World War Two. He helped Ambrose Palmer train Johnney Fameshon to become the light heavy weight champion boxer of the world. Roger told me a story of a shoot out against the Japanese, one day in the jungle of New Guinea. There were seventeen of them pinned down by a couple of Japanese snipers. The sergeant asked for two voluteers to circle around behind the enemy and shoot them. Roger Hagen went one way and my dad William went around the other way. Roger and William opened fire and killed both Japanese soldiers. Roger reached William just in time to see him kneeling over the Japanese soldier. William took the Japanese hat and belt and put them in his pocket and he began to cry. Roger asked him what was the problem, and William said that he was jumped and he turned around just in time to shoot the enemy soldier point blank range. He kept saying over and over again, "I saw his eyes". Roger reminded me that those men were so young and still not used to death.
Another close friend of my father William was a small fellow named Patty Burke. My dad William, and his mate Patty were insperable, and Patty and William were always in trouble. I have a photograph of the day they found some Italion wine and they had a huge party. They both stole the wine and they invited all their officers and staff to the party. After every body enjoyed themselves, William and Patty admitted to what they had done and there was nothing that any one in authority could do about it as they were just as guilty because they all attended the party. There was also the day they both were in trouble, and they had to front the officer in charge. "What's your names", he asked. My dad replied, "We are Burke and Will". "A couple of smart fellows". "No" replied William. "That's Patty Burke and I'm Will Doughty." They were confined to barracks. .
There is a photograph of my father and his mates dressing up as Arabs and my favorate photograph was taken on the day they stole an Arab fire engine. They wore the Arab Fire helmets and they took the truck for a spin around the block.
My father inlaw's brother Norm Marshall married a lady name Eileen Curran and she had a young brother named Micky Curran. William left the Williamstown horse stable to join the A.I.F. and some time later Micky Curran, who amazingly worked at the same stable as an apprentice jockey, also joined the Second Fifth Battalion. Mickiy lied about his age, convincing those in aurthorty that he was eighteen but in fact he was only sixteen. William approached him one day and he told Micky that he knew who he was and how old he was. "Are you going to given me up", Said Mickey. William told him that if he didn't shave off that awful bum fluff on his chin, he would give himselve up. They became close friends and William looked after him throughout the rest of the war. When I met Mickey Curren he was sadly dying of throat cancer, but he still had a sense of humour and he told me what an amazing funny man my dad was. He told me that William would alays play his mouth organ and one day they were running for their lives across the desert sands, being shot at by German Stuka aeroplanes. Mickey feared for his life and ran hard and then he could hear music and realised that William was running along while playing his mouth organ.
One ANZAC week my dad had a few of his mates over to our house. We children were ment to be in bed but I must have been only about eight years old, and I hid behind the door and I heard them talking about an Australian soldier who was tied to a tree in the jungle of New Guinea. He was butchered and canabalised by the Japanese while his was still alive. One of those men put a bullet in his head and I heard them crying about the incident. That story has stuck in my memory all these years, but I never did find out who shot that poor unfortunate soldier. My father told me about the time he served in Ceylon and he found a monkey and tried to smuggle it back to Australia. He said that the Australian soldiers would throw coins into the sea water and they loved watching the children diving for the coins. One ANZAC Day I met one of my dad's mates. I cannot recall his name, but he was thrilled to meet me when he knew who I was. He told me of how he thought that my father was a real war hero. He spoke about the time the Second Fifth Battalion were aboard the ship 'City Of London', escaping from Crete. He told me that the ship stopped dead in the water. It was being attacked by German Stuka aeroplanes. It was thought at the time that the engine room had been hit. The funnel was riddled with holes and cut cables were hanging danerously loose. My father William, without fear of his own life, ran down into the enginge room. He found the Lasca Indian sailors on their knees, praying. The noise of the battle was deafening in that part of the ship. William yelled to those upsairs for support and the soldiers ran down and shovelled coal on the fire and 'The City Of London' went as fast as it could go. They managed to escape the fighting and there were about five thousand soldiers on board. Many of the soldiers above deck, aimed there rifles at the over head German stukas and they shot down four German aeroplanes. The old gentleman told me, "Your father should have been awarded a medal for valour". Some years later the book about the Second Fifth Battalion, entitled 'All The Kings Enemies' mentioned that story and my father's name in one of it's paragraphs.
This was an article from the old Record (our old Port & South Melbourne local newspaper) back in the 1960's, stuck on the wall of Robert (Ditz) Doughty's, Sunday Southern Cross Social Club (Sly grog & SP Betting). Robert was William Doughty's younger brother -
To the editor - ' The Record ' - The Changing face of old Montague -
Sir, It gave me great pleasure to read the changing face of old Montague. Born in Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne (where Lovigs the carriers now stand), and living most of my life in Gladstone Street . I recieved a tremendous fillip to read about old times. Your writer mentioned the response from Montague at the out break of the war. Those who sailed aboard the troop ship "Ettrick" from Station pier in 1940 who come to mind are, Frank Carey, who played football and cricket with Port Melbourne, Jack "Speedy" Lugg who saddled up with Port and South Melbourne after the war. Andy Garbett who often boasted of the fact that he led a premiership team on to the M.C.G. before 80,000 people. He was refering to the 'Wayside Rovers', that mighty junior team who played in the curtain raiser of the V.F.L.Gandfinal. There was "Chaser" Kay who won the heavy weight title on the ship. Gerry Beaton, who good judges like Fitzroy's Leo Monaghan and Eddie Morcom declared to be the best centreman in the Middle East, and he had some tough opposition, and ofcourse Bill "Doc" Doughty about whom, one could write a book about. I remember the 2/2 Pioneers arrived and we went down to greet them. What memories their names conjure, Collin "Rocky" Coy who won the heavy weight championship of his troop, Harry Sykes, Tom "Perky" Parkinson, probably the greatast junior goal sneek ever produced in this district. George Bennett, Micky Webster (of grey hound fame}, Ron "Doba" Garbutt, who was to volunteer in Java to stay behind with his wounded "Digger" mates. None of them were every seen again.(See History of the 2/2 Pioneers). Yes they were great names, great fighters and great mates - Written by the late R. C. McAuley. Dicky McAuley was rone of my dad's sargeants.
After the war my father came back to Australia, hopelessly addicted to cigarette smoking and drinking, and eventually gambling became a real problem in his life. He hated anything that was Japanese for the rest of his life. He hated toys that were made in Japan and in those days most toys and cheap plastic items were made there. My dad bred and showed canaries and budgerygars, and he entered them in various bird shows and the Royal Melbourne Show, but when trophies labled made in Japan were presented as prises, my dad stopped showing bugies.
My father was an Australian soldier from 1940 until the end of 1945. After World War Two, my dad went back to work, mainly as a labourer. The war brought excitement into his life and now it was all over. At the end of 1945, William Doughty met Edna Ford. After a very short engagement, they both married in early 1946.
My dad, William was a twenty eight year old war veteran and his new wife Edna Ford was a very young seventeen year old girl with her first love interest. Their family and friends thought that they would never stay together but how they were all wrong. William and Edna were happily married until William's death in 1976.
Edna May Ford origially lived in 8 Drysdale Street Port Melbourne and when she was a young girl at Nott Street State School She suffered from Rhuematic fever that left her with a leaking valve in her heart for the rest of her life.
My mother, Edna May Ford, married William David Doughty after a six week engagement early in 1946. Edna ford was the youngest daughter of Doris Bothwistle ford, who had an affair with her neighbour George Lesley Buzza. Edna's brothers, Stanley and John were also children of George Buzza. On their birth certificates their father is listed as Stanley Goodwin George Ford, but that is false as Stanley Ford was blind and deaf, and My grandmother fell in love with George Buzza. George Buzza was a married man with many children. I found the whole story strange, but my mother told me all about it, and she also told me that George Buzza turned up, uninvited, at her wedding in 1946. My mother told me that her mother confessed to the affair just before she died of a massive heart attack. George Lesley Buzza died in 1949, and he is buried at Fawkner cemetery. I took my mother to her father's grave in the mid 1970's and after finding out that it was unmarked, she put a headstone on it with the writing, George Lesley Buzza, from someone who loved you.
When William Doughty and Edna Ford announced their wedding plans, Edna's older brother George was against the marrage because of the age difference. Edna was seventeen and William was twenty eight. The first house they lived in was a little run down property in Belgrave Heights. They had no electricity, only a kerosene lamp. My dad told me that they drank tank water. They lived next door to Mr and Mrs Mogg and my mother laughed when she told me after the death of my father, how my father would always have arguements with the Moggs. My mother and father had a pet goat and when their first born child, Lorraine Edna Doughty first came into the world, they fed their new born baby with goats milk.
Edna's Mother and father own a house at 8 Drysdale Street, Port Melbourne. That was where my story started. We were always poor as my dad was an unskilled labourer and my mother worked at home, as most house wifes did in those days. My dad had a wonderful sense of humour and he was very popular amongst his many friends. I was born on the 29th of June 1954 at 42 Esplanade Place, Port Melbourne. Earlier in the pregnacy the doctors advised my mother and father to abort me, as Edna had a leaking valve in her heart, due to her suffering from rhumatic fever as a child. Both her and my father said no and I was born a healthy baby. I can remember as far back , when I was about two or three. I remember my mother pushing me every where in an old pram. Neather my mother or my father drove a car. My father rode a motor bike, a skill that he picked up during World War Two in the Middle East. Each night we would sit around the radio and along came television. My dad had very little money but he had to have one of those new televisions. It turned out that we were one of the very first families to own a seventeen inch television in Port Melbourne. I must have been one of the first baby boomers to be baby sat by a television. To this day I can still hum all the early television themes and sing all the theme songs. I was very close to my brother Kevin and we would pretend that we had our own television show. We had lots of hand puppets, dolls and stuffed and rubber animals and they became charactors in our little plays. We both were obsessed with early television, and we pretended as young children that we had our own imaginary telelvision show, 'The Kevin and David Doughty Show".
We began singing and we would wander into many of the corner hotels in Port Melbourne and we would sing for money. Christmas time was always a very special time for our family, even though my mother and father were poor. They put money aside to make Christmas as special as they could. Kevin and I just loved to play with our soft toys, a toy horse, a rubber penguin, and various teddy bears and our many hand puppets. One day we were walking to school and and next to a dust bin we found a battered up dirty, old blue teddy bear. We both felt sorry for it but we didn't want to be seen by others having it, as we would have been teased at school, so we hid if in a secret place so we could collect it on the way home. On the way home we discovered that it had been taken away. We were both so upset when we arrived home and told our mother. She felt sad for us both, and she comforted us by telling us that maybe somebody nice and poor probably needed that bear more than we did. Three months later Christmas Day arrived and we jumped out of bed to see what Santa Clause had left us. On top of our stockings was a beautiful blue teddy bear with a note stuck to it. The note read, I took the teddy bear back to the North Pole and fixed it up for you both, Signed Santa. That was nearly sixty years ago, and I have four children and eight grand children, and I still get teary each time I think of what my beautiful mother did on that very special Christmas day.
Kevin and I sold newspapers on Station and Princess Pier, Port Melboune, when we were eight and nine years old. I think back now as to how dangerous that was in those days, as I would be invited into the cabins of many of the old sailors to sell them papers. We had no protection at that time. We both had a life time dream of becoming full time entertainerers. We would sing in Boy Scout concerts and finally we appeared on the very popular television show on HSV7, the Happy Show. The producer of the Happy Show was Doug MacKenzie (Zag the clown) and it was live back in those days. The star was Happy Hammond and co - staring was Princess Panda, Lovely Anne, Funny Face Vic Gordon, John Darcy, Bob Horsfold and Roy Lyons.
My father William was a labour during his working day, and a part time barman in the afternoon. In those days we had the 'Six O'clock Swill'. At 5.45pm every patron would buy a final shout of beer and they would try and scull down as much beer as possible. When the pub was cleared there were glasses of undrunken beer still on the counter, so my dad saw the opportunity to get a cheap drink and he would go along the bar and drink each glass, one by one.
After my father died in 1976 my mother would attend the the Melbourne ANZAC Day march. She wore my fathers medals in a few of ANZAC Day marches in Melbourne and then she was told by the stewards of the march that she was not allowed to march with the men. That upset her and I got upset too so I began marching with my four year old son Timothy, in the Melbourne ANZAC Day march, back in 1983. I did the same the following year and eventually my son wore my dad's slouch hat and his original World War Two Australian Army jacket. My dad's mates loved to see my young son march and they nick named him young Doc. I made two Second Fifth Battalion shoulder badges a sewed them on the shoulders of another Australian World War Two jacket and now my two sons marched to honour their grand father and their great uncles. Then one ANZAC Day on of the stewards of the march spoke to the police and they told me that my sons were not to march again. I thought of how wrong that decision was, as there could not be any reasonable excuse as to why my two boys couldn't represent their family. The matter was brought up at the Victorian branch of the RSL later that year. I decided to defy this decission and I wrote to to Herald Sun. The story ended up on page three and my two sons and I turned up to the Melbourne ANZAC Day march. Two days before the ANZAC Day march I was contacted by the producers of the Ray Martin Midday Day on GTV9, and they wanted to interview me and my children live after the march that year.
No sooner after we arrived at the Melbourne's ANZAC Day, two police officers aproached us and told me that I wasn't allowed into march. But then they told me to jump into the march at the last minute which we did and we completed the march. After the march we then drove the the GTV9 studios in Bendigo Street, Richmond, and we were given security passes and we were taken to the GTV9 green room. The studio was owned by Bond in those dayswith people dressed as a and I was suprised to see so many refrigerators stacked wig We were d with Swan beer and CocaCola. After they applied make up wewere told to make our selves comportal. I met Shane Vahgn who introduced me to Maurie Fields. I met Veneta Field and Tony Barber. They were both performing on the Midday Show. Tony Barber was dressed in a World War One Australian Army uniform, and he sang a melody of World War One songs. There was an 83 year old lady who was a close friend to Ray Martin. She showed me a photo album with personal photographs of Ray and his family. She was interviewed by Ray and told him that she had recently done a bungy jump and a jump out of an aeroplane. Finally It was my turn to be interviewed about the army service of my father. I sent some questions a few days before the interview but when we went live I started telling my own story. The whole interview can be seen on Youtube by typing in docdoughty. At the end of the interview I recieved a message from the producer of the Midday Show that an old jockey who once worked for Ernest Underwood, wanted to talk to me. I ran him up and he told me that he remembered my dad and for many years he had kept my father's original accordian. My wife Sue and I went to his home in Frankston and he shared his photographs and told us that he had gone on to be a country jockey. He told me that he had always thought about my fathr and wondered what had become of him. It was a wonderful afternoon. He sadly died six months later.
I was so happy that my father's last job was riding a horse and cart for the Port Melbourne City Council. He became a well known personality in the community and he loved his horse.
My father once said to me that he hoped he would never be forgotten. He sadly only lived until he was 58 years old. The war had left him with various health problems. I decided to dedicate every ANZAC Day to my father. Each year, for 37 years, I took somebody in my imediate family with me to the Melbourne Dawn Service and the ANZAC Day march.
My three sons and my daughter all had their turn of wearing my dad's unform and his six medals. They had their photographs taken most years, and we have them in an album and on my website ddoughty.com.
My brother Kevin and I loved to sing and tell jokes and we appeared in our annual scout group's Gang show. We dreamed of being famous entertainers and we would sing any where, including hotels. We would enter talent quests on radio and television. We first appeared on HSV7's Happy Show. We appeared on a now forgotten television talent show on channel O called Jimmy Hannon's New Talent Time. We also appeared on Radio 3UZ show, John McMahn's, Radio Auditions. They would award a one dollar, two dollar or three dollar awards, depending how good your act was. We appeared many times on that program. In 1975 we were chosen to appear on 3UZ Moomba auditions at the Sidney Myer Music Bowel. That year the now imfamous Rolf Harris was chosen as Moomba King and we spent some time with him in the green room, behind the stage.
We appeared on the television talent show Kevin Dennis New Faces with the great Frank Wilson. We won the encouragement award on one of those programs. I appeared with my brother Kevin on six of those shows. Then Bert Newton took over the program and it was called Safeway New Faces, and I did a solo performance on another five programs performing, in a commercial presentation competition for their new sponser, Safeway Supermarkets. I came first on three shows, and on one show I managed to make the grandfinal, after becoming equal fourth with three other acts. The grandfinal show only required one more act, so I had to beat three acts in a play off for a place in the grand final. I did a comedy act, playing a camp "LIttle Jack Horner" and I won $500. My brother kevin and I appeared in a number of shows over our lives together and we achieved some success.
I have a diary of all our presentations over at least thirty years of performing and singing together. We met a stand up comedian, Danny O'Meara, father of a friend of my brother Kevin, and the rest was history. Danny took us to our first professional job, and he gave us our first big break. It was a bit nerve racking but we both worked very well together and this pleased Danny. It was a non paying job but it was great R. S. L. in December 1977, and it payed $50 and the audiance loved our act. Our third paying job was at Lazy Harry's Resturant on the 31st of December 1977 and we recived $70. It was't a great night at first but it ended well. It was after that job that we decided to hire our own sound system each time. We then had a very successful performance at a wedding in Heidleburg. On March 8th 1978 we worked at Frankston R. S. L. for $70. The compare of the show was Rex Hunt. Then we received $70 at the Braybrook Football Club, working with mime artist and Football Club on the 28th of Junecomedian, Norm Hanvey on the 16th of April 1978.
Our next project was the Sunshine Baseball Club on June the 25th in 1978 and then the Sunshine Baseball Club on June the25th 1978 and we received $90. We were receiving great reactions from our audiance at that stage. We performed with Danny O'Meara at the Edithvale Football Club on Feburary 1978. One of our favourate nights was at the Gembrooke Football Club on the 28th of June 1978. We received $90. It was a sportsman's night we performed with the great Australian Cricketer Max Walker, Australian long distance runner George Perdon and Hawthorn Footballer Peter Knights. On August 28th 1978 we appeared on GTV9 New Faces. We scored the third highest mark that night and we received a booking from the V.F.L. Umpires and Trainers Night and finally we had hit the big time.
The next two weeks we worked at the Sunshine Municiple Band and the Braybrook Fooball Club. At Braybrook we worked with Russ Landel the Magician. Our next job was the University Blues Football Club and that was a difficult night.
We were thrilled to be hired and invited to perform at the Melbourne Football Club at the M.C.G. in 1978 in both the Long Room and the Member's Room. We both being Melbourne supporters loved the experiance. We then sang at the Preston R.S.L. on the 15th of September 1978 and we received $80 each for twenty minutes work. Our next performance was D. Richardson & Son. It wasn't one of our better jobs but we earned $80 each.
We hit the big time again when we were asked to perform athe North Melbourne Football Club. Actor George Malaby the actor compared the show together with comedian rubber face Johny Craig.
Our next big break was when we were hired to perform at the Essendon Football Club Grand Final Breakfast. It was a great show and it had a great atmosphere. After a long rest during October after the birth of my son Timothy, we performed at Williamstown freemasons lodge at Selwyn Park with Comedy mi at the 1979 V.F.L.Umpiresnight in JAULY 1979.me Norm Hanvey. We were supported by a singer from N.S.W, 'The Dynamic Bob Gillard'. Our next job was at the Albian Park Cricket Club in Heidelburg, a small audiance but they enjoyed the show we did. We ended 1978 with four more shows charging $100 a performance.In 1979 we mainly performed in R.S.L.s and hotels although we did perform once again at the V.F.L. Umpire's night. By late 1979 we were charging $120 for a twenty minute spot. The 28th of September 1979 was a very enjoyable job at the Marabanong R.S.L. as we were honoured to have performed with the famous Ron Blasket and Gerry Gee. On September 30th we performed in front of an audiance of 400 at the Essendon Football Club.
Once again in 1980 we worked at various clubs and we were invited to the Essendon Football Football V.F.L. club for the third year running. In 1980 we performed at the Gembrooke Football Club andthe highlight was spending time with Ex- Champion football player, fabulous Pil Carman, who talked about his twenty week suspension for head butting an umpire. On May the 30th 1980 we supported two strippers at the Sandringham Football Club.
We performed on GTV9 New faces and we were recieved very well. We continued to perform together in the next few years. We came second in a talent competition at the Knox Club on the 16th of March 1983. we continued to perform and went well at the Gembrook Football Club on the 26th of July 1986 and by then we were paid $165. We performed at Chelsea Heights Football Club and received $200.
Our last performance together was Hey Hey It's Saturday. GTV9, 25th of January 1995.
From 1969 I began working as a carpenter with the CommonwealtDepartment of Works. It changed it's name a number of times until it became Australian Construction Services. Over the next twenty six years I worked on many Government and defence establishments, and I met many important people. I worked for Primeminister Bob Hawke, Science Minister Barry Jones, Aborigine Minister Clive Cameron, opposition leader Andrew Peacock, and many more famous people. I worked restoring Victoria Barracks in St Kilda Road and I helped restore the World War Two war room. I worked many times at Treasury Place Melbourne. I also worked with my brother Kevin as an entertainer at various venues for cash in hand.
I was born in working class Port Melbourne on the 29th of June 1954. I had an older sister Lorraine Edna Doughty, born in 1947, Stanley William John Doughty, born in the Women's Hospital in Carlton in 1950, and Kevin John Doughty, born in the Women's Hospital in Carlton in 1953. My mother had three still births after me. There were four girls, as one birth was a set of twins. One of the twins lived for one day. I remember seeing my father crying. He didn't see me, and that was the first and only time in my life I ever saw him cry. My parents desperately wanted more children, but they were too old to adopt so they fostered two girls, leanne and Lori in 1961 from an orphanage in Burwood. Leanne lived with us for three years, and then her biological mother decided to take her back. That took my parents by surprise and they we so upset and so was Leanne. We never saw her again. Lori lived with us for twenty two years. She was part Aboriginal, and one day her older biological sister traced her address to us. She evenually when back to her real family in Canberra and we lost contact with her. That upset my mother until the day she died. Our family was working class, and at the time of my birth in 1954, my dad was working in the Port Melbourne box mills as a labouer. My mother was a house wife who worked at home, like many other women back in those days. Most familys back then had the dad as the 'Bread Winner' and a mum would carry out her home duties. My dad worked hard to bring home a suitable wage. He later worked at the Glazebrooks paint factory in Port Melbourne. He lost his job one day and he worked for the Melbourne City Council. His last job, and it was his most favorate job was with the Port Melbourne City Council as a dustman, riding a horse drawn cart.
Before World War Two William was following a promising career as an apprentist Jockey with Mr Ernest Underwood, a well known racing identity at Williamstown racing stables. Young William was being taught the tricks of the Jockey trade from the well know trainer from those early racing days, Mr R. Sinclair at Wiliamstown race track. William was showing a lot of promise as a jockey and a strapper and then the World War Two began, ending his riding career. William had no choice but to enlist into the Australian Army. He decided it was the right thing for him to do as his three uncles, Uncle Henry Richard Doughty, Uncle Robert Ernest Doughty and Uncle Albert Percy Doughty all served in world War One. Uncle Albert Percy Doughty was killed in action at Gallipoli, two weeks after the landing on the 25th of April 1915.
Young William's father, William David Doughty senior, worked for 'Stokes And Sons', making army badges so he was excempt from fighting in the war.
Young William became a soldier, enlisting with the Australian Imperial force, number VX13720 in 1940.
The newspapers of the day were full of war stories of the invasion of Hitler's German Army in Europe, on the other side of the world. Great Briton declared war on Germany and Australia was one of it's allies, so that meant that Australia, who was part of the British Commonwealth, was also at war with Germany. World War Two was to be fought by the next generation of those men and women who took part in World War One (The War To End All Wars). There was a sense of real excitement, as many of these young men were out of work, and this moment in Australian history gave them the oportunity of earning money, and travelling the World in the service of their Country, Australia. There was conscription in many of the Commonwealth countries, but Australians volunteered to be soldiers, and they were willing fight for their country.
William left for war on board the Ettrick, a Troop transport ship with Tonnage, 11,279 tons. It was built and completed in 1938 by Barclay, Curle & Co, Whiteinch, Glasgow. It's Owner was P. & O. Steam Navigation Co Ltd, London Homeport London .
The Ship Ettrick was eventually attacked and sunk on the 15th of November 1942 by (Adolf Cornelius Piening) U-155, at position 36° 13'N, 7° 54'W - Grid CG 8665. It had a complement of 336 (24 dead and 312 survivors).Convoy MKF-1Y Route Gibraltar - Glasgow Cargo Ballast. History, In 1939 the Ettrick was requisitioned by the Admiralty and used as troop transport. Notes on event - At 04.14 hours on 15 Nov 1942, U-155 fired a spread of four torpedoes at the convoy MKF-1Y about 120 miles northwest of Gibraltar and heard three detonations, but was not able to made visual observations. The Ettrick and the HMS Avenger (D 14) were sunk and the USS Almaack (AK 27) was damaged. The master, 204 crew members, 41 gunners and 66 naval ratings from the Ettrick (Master John Murray Legg) were picked up by the Norwegian destroyer HMS Glaisdale (L 44) and landed at Gibraltar. Six crew members and 18 naval ratings were lost. The master, John Murray Legg, was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE). My father, wouldn't talk very much about his army service. I asked lots of questions to him over many years but it was something he didn't like to talk about, except to his army mates. Every year he would religiously attend his army reunions and meet up with his past army mates. Those soldiers had an amazing connection with each other. They could never be seperated and they stayed very close to each other until the day they all died. I am not a shamed to say that they all loved each other. My father loved his childhood, growing up with his family and his friends and his school mates from Montague, South Melbourne, They all enlisted one by one as a huge and very close family. Those young men had spent most of their childhood together. Many of those young men enlisted into the AIF. My father became a member of Second fifth Battalion, Sixth Division, Seventeenth Brigade. His colour patch was black over red (mud over blood). He once told me that his father wasn't happy with his decision to enlist into the army, and he wasn't allowed to wear his uniform in his father's house. William's brother Albert Percival Doughty also enlisted into the A.I.F. but William refused to fight with his brother in the same unit, as he didn't want the resposibility of looking after him during action. It was enough for William to look after himself. During his service in World War Two, William got engaged to a young lady named Freda and her name was tattooed on his arm. That is all I know about her. She is and for ever wil be a mystery. After the war he met and married Edna May Ford after a very short engagement.
When William was heading for service in Africa, he was extreamly nervous, and he would regulary write to his mother Catherine, his sister Lily and his mother's sister Aunty Jessie, every day. He could barely write but I do have a letter that he wrote to his sisterLily and his mother Catherine.
The Second Fifth Battalion was formed in Melbourne on the 18th of October 1939, as part of the 17th Brigade of the 6th Australian Division. The nucleus of the battalion was assembled in ensuing days at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, but its first drafts of recruits were not received until after it moved to the newly-established camp at Puckapunyal on 2 November 1914. Basic training was completed there prior to the battalion's departure for overseas service on 14 April 1940.
After arriving in the Middle East on 18 May 1940, the battalion undertook further training in Palestine and Egypt. The Second Fifth Battalion took part in its first campaign - the advance against the Italians in Eastern Libya - in January and February 1941, and participated in successful attacks at Bardia (3-5 January) and Tobruk (21-22 January). In early April, the Second Fifth Battalion with he rest of the 6th Division, were deployed to Greece to resist the anticipated German invasion. For the Second Fifth Battalion, the Greek campaign was essentially one long withdrawal from its initial defensive positions at Kalabaka (occupied on 14 April) to the port of Kalamata, from which it was evacuated on 27 April. A party of approximately 50 transport drivers were left behind in Greece and became prisoners of war. A similar sized group landed on Crete and, after fighting with the 17th Brigade Composite Battalion, also suffered the same fate.
Back in Palestine, the Second Fifth Battalion was given little respite. In June and July 1941, it took part in the campaign in Syria, including the climactic battle of Damour (6-10 July) that sealed the defeat of the Vichy French forces. The battalion was destined to remain in Syria and Lebanon as part of the garrison force there until January 1942. It left the Middle East, heading for the war against Japan, on 10 March 1942. The 16th and 17th Brigades, however, were diverted on the voyage home. From early March to early July they defended Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) from possible Japanese attack. The Second Fifth Battalion finally disembarked in Australia, at Melbourne, on 4 August 1942.
The Second Fifth Battalion deployed to Milne Bay, in Papua, in early October 1942 but did not meet the Japanese in battle until the end of January 1943, when it joined the force defending Wau, in New Guinea. After much desperate fighting, the Japanese around Wau were defeated in early February. The Second Fifth Battalion subsequently participated in the drive towards Salamaua and was heavily engaged around Goodview and Mount Tambu in July and August. After arriving back in Australia at Cairns on 23 September 1943, the Second Fifth Battalion spent most of 1944 training in northern Queensland.
On 29 November 1944, the Second Fifth Battalion disembarked at Aitape in New Guinea for its last campaign of the war. It spent much of the next seven months engaged mainly in arduous patrolling to clear the Japanese from the Torricelli and Prince Alexander mountain ranges. It was still engaged in this role when the war ended on 15 August 1945. The battalion embarked to return to Australia on 1 December and disbanded at Puckapunyal in early February 1946. It was one of only two battalions that fought all of Australia's major enemies during the Second World War, Disembarked at Aitape in New Guinea for its last campaign of the war, It spent much of the next seven months engaged mainly in arduous patrolling to clear the Japanese from the Torricelli and Prince Alexander mountain ranges. It was still engaged in this role when the war ended on 15 August 1945. The battalion embarked to return to Australia on 1 December and disbanded at Puckapunyal in early February 1946. It was one of only two battalions that fought all of Australia's major enemies during the Second World War.
When I turned 19 in 1973 I purchased my first car, an old 1952 Morris Minor. My dad took an imediate liking to this old car and he would love me picking him up from work when I was available. In 1974 the Second fifth Battalion were having their annual ANZAC Day re-union at the Melbourne town hall. My dad asked me to take him there as he had been ill for a couple of previous re-unions and now, that he had me to drive him there, he was keen to attend it. I was so honoured and proud to be asked by him to be his escort, and as it turned out, it was to be his very last re-union ever. I remember as we first walked in, how the hall first went silent, and somebody yelled out, "Their's Doc Doughty" and everyone imediately turned to him and aplauded. I was so proud of my father at that moment.
My dad took me over to meet two of his mates. I had no idea that they were legends, both military Cross winners, Les 'Bull' Allen and the full blooded Aboriginal hero, Reg Saunders. It would be a lot later when I discovered what heroic deeds these two wonderful brave men did in wartime. All these men were in their fifties but they were like school friends reliving they deeds from their military past. Reg Saunders and Les Allen told me to look after my dad because he was a war hero. Imagine hearing that from two Military Cross winners. Two of the most iconic pictures show sergeant Reg Saunders in front oif a train with a group of his soldiers. Reg stands out out with his black skin and movie star looks. Then there is the picture of Les 'Bull' Allen carrying a wounded American soldier to safety. He carried one soldier after another while being shot at by a japanese machine gun. He finally collapsed from loss of blood from a bullet wound to his arm. Some time later, Les Allen had a run in with an officer, and he was threatened with court martial, but then his commanding officer received notification that Les Alllen was to be recomended for the highest American award for his bravery in saving those American soldiers. The award was to be personally presented to Les Allen by the USA President's wife, Elenor Rosevelt.
The wonderful part of that very special night was when Les and Reg told me to look after my Dad because he was awar hero. Imagine two Australian heroes saying that about my dad. I was, and still am so very proud. The one thing that stood out to me that night was watching the First World War One soldiers congregating at one end of the hall, and the Second World War Soldiers Congregating at the other end of the room.
It was hard to know what happened in wartime as my dad wouldn' t talk very much about it. He would sometimes tell us some little stories but not any thing with detail. He once spoke to me of the time he and his Battalion were escaping from Crete, He told me how frightened he was when he saw dozens of German paratroopers leeping from Aeroplanes in Crete. He told me that they looked like six foot tall men but maybe that was just the impression he got that day. He told me of the day he was ordered to check out if there was any one alive in some bombed out German tanks. He was sickened at what he found. He said that the bodies were just like roasted beef. He said that escaping from the Germans in Crete, was one of the most frightening moments he had during World WarTwo.
After my father passed away in 1976 my mother decided that she would turn up to the Melbourne march each year, in honour of her late husband. For the first couple of years my mother Edna wore my dad's medals and the old Second Fifth Battalion soldiers were happy to have her there, except for the officers in command and also the marshalls of the march. They approached my mother and they told her that she was not allowed to march, as women who were non serving ladies were not to take part in the ANZAC Day march. That night on ANZAC Day 1982 my mother came home devastated and in tears. I was angry at the way they treated my mother, so the following year I put the medals on my four year old son Timothy, and he wore my dad's World War Two slouch hat, and I carried him on my shoulders from the beginning to the end of the Melbourne march. So It was then that I began to learn more about my father. I attended the ANZAC Day march in 1983. My young son Tim got to speak to my dad's former mates, and they all were thrilled to see me and him. They called him young Doc. Doc was a nickname given to my father in World War Two by one of his sergeants, Ivor White. Ivor told me that he kept mis-pronouncing William's surname Doughty to Docarty and then Docarty Doughty, so he and every one else started to call him Doc. That nickname stuck with him him for the the rest of his life.
Each year I was fortunate enough to meet so many of my dad's mates. Rodger Hagen was an interesting man. He went to school with my dad and he grew up with my dad in Montague, South Melbourne. Roger Hagen was into boxing in a big way after World War Two. He helped Ambrose Palmer train Johnney Fameshon to become the light heavy weight champion boxer of the world. Roger told me a story of a shoot out against the Japanese, one day in the jungle of New Guinea. There were seventeen of them pinned down by a couple of Japanese snipers. The sergeant asked for two voluteers to circle around behind the enemy and shoot them. Roger Hagen went one way and my dad William went around the other way. Roger and William opened fire and killed both Japanese soldiers. Roger reached William just in time to see him kneeling over the Japanese soldier. William took the Japanese hat and belt and put them in his pocket and he began to cry. Roger asked him what was the problem, and William said that he was jumped and he turned around just in time to shoot the enemy soldier point blank range. He kept saying over and over again, "I saw his eyes". Roger reminded me that those men were so young and still not used to death.
Another close friend of my father William was a small fellow named Patty Burke. My dad William, and his mate Patty were insperable, and Patty and William were always in trouble. I have a photograph of the day they found some Italion wine and they had a huge party. They both stole the wine and they invited all their officers and staff to the party. After every body enjoyed themselves, William and Patty admitted to what they had done and there was nothing that any one in authority could do about it as they were just as guilty because they all attended the party. There was also the day they both were in trouble, and they had to front the officer in charge. "What's your names", he asked. My dad replied, "We are Burke and Will". "A couple of smart fellows". "No" replied William. "That's Patty Burke and I'm Will Doughty." They were confined to barracks. .
There is a photograph of my father and his mates dressing up as Arabs and my favorate photograph was taken on the day they stole an Arab fire engine. They wore the Arab Fire helmets and they took the truck for a spin around the block.
My father inlaw's brother Norm Marshall married a lady name Eileen Curran and she had a young brother named Micky Curran. William left the Williamstown horse stable to join the A.I.F. and some time later Micky Curran, who amazingly worked at the same stable as an apprentice jockey, also joined the Second Fifth Battalion. Mickiy lied about his age, convincing those in aurthorty that he was eighteen but in fact he was only sixteen. William approached him one day and he told Micky that he knew who he was and how old he was. "Are you going to given me up", Said Mickey. William told him that if he didn't shave off that awful bum fluff on his chin, he would give himselve up. They became close friends and William looked after him throughout the rest of the war. When I met Mickey Curren he was sadly dying of throat cancer, but he still had a sense of humour and he told me what an amazing funny man my dad was. He told me that William would alays play his mouth organ and one day they were running for their lives across the desert sands, being shot at by German Stuka aeroplanes. Mickey feared for his life and ran hard and then he could hear music and realised that William was running along while playing his mouth organ.
One ANZAC week my dad had a few of his mates over to our house. We children were ment to be in bed but I must have been only about eight years old, and I hid behind the door and I heard them talking about an Australian soldier who was tied to a tree in the jungle of New Guinea. He was butchered and canabalised by the Japanese while his was still alive. One of those men put a bullet in his head and I heard them crying about the incident. That story has stuck in my memory all these years, but I never did find out who shot that poor unfortunate soldier. My father told me about the time he served in Ceylon and he found a monkey and tried to smuggle it back to Australia. He said that the Australian soldiers would throw coins into the sea water and they loved watching the children diving for the coins. One ANZAC Day I met one of my dad's mates. I cannot recall his name, but he was thrilled to meet me when he knew who I was. He told me of how he thought that my father was a real war hero. He spoke about the time the Second Fifth Battalion were aboard the ship 'City Of London', escaping from Crete. He told me that the ship stopped dead in the water. It was being attacked by German Stuka aeroplanes. It was thought at the time that the engine room had been hit. The funnel was riddled with holes and cut cables were hanging danerously loose. My father William, without fear of his own life, ran down into the enginge room. He found the Lasca Indian sailors on their knees, praying. The noise of the battle was deafening in that part of the ship. William yelled to those upsairs for support and the soldiers ran down and shovelled coal on the fire and 'The City Of London' went as fast as it could go. They managed to escape the fighting and there were about five thousand soldiers on board. Many of the soldiers above deck, aimed there rifles at the over head German stukas and they shot down four German aeroplanes. The old gentleman told me, "Your father should have been awarded a medal for valour". Some years later the book about the Second Fifth Battalion, entitled 'All The Kings Enemies' mentioned that story and my father's name in one of it's paragraphs.
This was an article from the old Record (our old Port & South Melbourne local newspaper) back in the 1960's, stuck on the wall of Robert (Ditz) Doughty's, Sunday Southern Cross Social Club (Sly grog & SP Betting). Robert was William Doughty's younger brother -
To the editor - ' The Record ' - The Changing face of old Montague -
Sir, It gave me great pleasure to read the changing face of old Montague. Born in Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne (where Lovigs the carriers now stand), and living most of my life in Gladstone Street . I recieved a tremendous fillip to read about old times. Your writer mentioned the response from Montague at the out break of the war. Those who sailed aboard the troop ship "Ettrick" from Station pier in 1940 who come to mind are, Frank Carey, who played football and cricket with Port Melbourne, Jack "Speedy" Lugg who saddled up with Port and South Melbourne after the war. Andy Garbett who often boasted of the fact that he led a premiership team on to the M.C.G. before 80,000 people. He was refering to the 'Wayside Rovers', that mighty junior team who played in the curtain raiser of the V.F.L.Gandfinal. There was "Chaser" Kay who won the heavy weight title on the ship. Gerry Beaton, who good judges like Fitzroy's Leo Monaghan and Eddie Morcom declared to be the best centreman in the Middle East, and he had some tough opposition, and ofcourse Bill "Doc" Doughty about whom, one could write a book about. I remember the 2/2 Pioneers arrived and we went down to greet them. What memories their names conjure, Collin "Rocky" Coy who won the heavy weight championship of his troop, Harry Sykes, Tom "Perky" Parkinson, probably the greatast junior goal sneek ever produced in this district. George Bennett, Micky Webster (of grey hound fame}, Ron "Doba" Garbutt, who was to volunteer in Java to stay behind with his wounded "Digger" mates. None of them were every seen again.(See History of the 2/2 Pioneers). Yes they were great names, great fighters and great mates - Written by the late R. C. McAuley. Dicky McAuley was rone of my dad's sargeants.
After the war my father came back to Australia, hopelessly addicted to cigarette smoking and drinking, and eventually gambling became a real problem in his life. He hated anything that was Japanese for the rest of his life. He hated toys that were made in Japan and in those days most toys and cheap plastic items were made there. My dad bred and showed canaries and budgerygars, and he entered them in various bird shows and the Royal Melbourne Show, but when trophies labled made in Japan were presented as prises, my dad stopped showing bugies.
My father was an Australian soldier from 1940 until the end of 1945. After World War Two, my dad went back to work, mainly as a labourer. The war brought excitement into his life and now it was all over. At the end of 1945, William Doughty met Edna Ford. After a very short engagement, they both married in early 1946.
My dad, William was a twenty eight year old war veteran and his new wife Edna Ford was a very young seventeen year old girl with her first love interest. Their family and friends thought that they would never stay together but how they were all wrong. William and Edna were happily married until William's death in 1976.
Edna May Ford origially lived in 8 Drysdale Street Port Melbourne and when she was a young girl at Nott Street State School She suffered from Rhuematic fever that left her with a leaking valve in her heart for the rest of her life.
My mother, Edna May Ford, married William David Doughty after a six week engagement early in 1946. Edna ford was the youngest daughter of Doris Bothwistle ford, who had an affair with her neighbour George Lesley Buzza. Edna's brothers, Stanley and John were also children of George Buzza. On their birth certificates their father is listed as Stanley Goodwin George Ford, but that is false as Stanley Ford was blind and deaf, and My grandmother fell in love with George Buzza. George Buzza was a married man with many children. I found the whole story strange, but my mother told me all about it, and she also told me that George Buzza turned up, uninvited, at her wedding in 1946. My mother told me that her mother confessed to the affair just before she died of a massive heart attack. George Lesley Buzza died in 1949, and he is buried at Fawkner cemetery. I took my mother to her father's grave in the mid 1970's and after finding out that it was unmarked, she put a headstone on it with the writing, George Lesley Buzza, from someone who loved you.
When William Doughty and Edna Ford announced their wedding plans, Edna's older brother George was against the marrage because of the age difference. Edna was seventeen and William was twenty eight. The first house they lived in was a little run down property in Belgrave Heights. They had no electricity, only a kerosene lamp. My dad told me that they drank tank water. They lived next door to Mr and Mrs Mogg and my mother laughed when she told me after the death of my father, how my father would always have arguements with the Moggs. My mother and father had a pet goat and when their first born child, Lorraine Edna Doughty first came into the world, they fed their new born baby with goats milk.
Edna's Mother and father own a house at 8 Drysdale Street, Port Melbourne. That was where my story started. We were always poor as my dad was an unskilled labourer and my mother worked at home, as most house wifes did in those days. My dad had a wonderful sense of humour and he was very popular amongst his many friends. I was born on the 29th of June 1954 at 42 Esplanade Place, Port Melbourne. Earlier in the pregnacy the doctors advised my mother and father to abort me, as Edna had a leaking valve in her heart, due to her suffering from rhumatic fever as a child. Both her and my father said no and I was born a healthy baby. I can remember as far back , when I was about two or three. I remember my mother pushing me every where in an old pram. Neather my mother or my father drove a car. My father rode a motor bike, a skill that he picked up during World War Two in the Middle East. Each night we would sit around the radio and along came television. My dad had very little money but he had to have one of those new televisions. It turned out that we were one of the very first families to own a seventeen inch television in Port Melbourne. I must have been one of the first baby boomers to be baby sat by a television. To this day I can still hum all the early television themes and sing all the theme songs. I was very close to my brother Kevin and we would pretend that we had our own television show. We had lots of hand puppets, dolls and stuffed and rubber animals and they became charactors in our little plays. We both were obsessed with early television, and we pretended as young children that we had our own imaginary telelvision show, 'The Kevin and David Doughty Show".
We began singing and we would wander into many of the corner hotels in Port Melbourne and we would sing for money. Christmas time was always a very special time for our family, even though my mother and father were poor. They put money aside to make Christmas as special as they could. Kevin and I just loved to play with our soft toys, a toy horse, a rubber penguin, and various teddy bears and our many hand puppets. One day we were walking to school and and next to a dust bin we found a battered up dirty, old blue teddy bear. We both felt sorry for it but we didn't want to be seen by others having it, as we would have been teased at school, so we hid if in a secret place so we could collect it on the way home. On the way home we discovered that it had been taken away. We were both so upset when we arrived home and told our mother. She felt sad for us both, and she comforted us by telling us that maybe somebody nice and poor probably needed that bear more than we did. Three months later Christmas Day arrived and we jumped out of bed to see what Santa Clause had left us. On top of our stockings was a beautiful blue teddy bear with a note stuck to it. The note read, I took the teddy bear back to the North Pole and fixed it up for you both, Signed Santa. That was nearly sixty years ago, and I have four children and eight grand children, and I still get teary each time I think of what my beautiful mother did on that very special Christmas day.
Kevin and I sold newspapers on Station and Princess Pier, Port Melboune, when we were eight and nine years old. I think back now as to how dangerous that was in those days, as I would be invited into the cabins of many of the old sailors to sell them papers. We had no protection at that time. We both had a life time dream of becoming full time entertainerers. We would sing in Boy Scout concerts and finally we appeared on the very popular television show on HSV7, the Happy Show. The producer of the Happy Show was Doug MacKenzie (Zag the clown) and it was live back in those days. The star was Happy Hammond and co - staring was Princess Panda, Lovely Anne, Funny Face Vic Gordon, John Darcy, Bob Horsfold and Roy Lyons.
My father William was a labour during his working day, and a part time barman in the afternoon. In those days we had the 'Six O'clock Swill'. At 5.45pm every patron would buy a final shout of beer and they would try and scull down as much beer as possible. When the pub was cleared there were glasses of undrunken beer still on the counter, so my dad saw the opportunity to get a cheap drink and he would go along the bar and drink each glass, one by one.
After my father died in 1976 my mother would attend the the Melbourne ANZAC Day march. She wore my fathers medals in a few of ANZAC Day marches in Melbourne and then she was told by the stewards of the march that she was not allowed to march with the men. That upset her and I got upset too so I began marching with my four year old son Timothy, in the Melbourne ANZAC Day march, back in 1983. I did the same the following year and eventually my son wore my dad's slouch hat and his original World War Two Australian Army jacket. My dad's mates loved to see my young son march and they nick named him young Doc. I made two Second Fifth Battalion shoulder badges a sewed them on the shoulders of another Australian World War Two jacket and now my two sons marched to honour their grand father and their great uncles. Then one ANZAC Day on of the stewards of the march spoke to the police and they told me that my sons were not to march again. I thought of how wrong that decision was, as there could not be any reasonable excuse as to why my two boys couldn't represent their family. The matter was brought up at the Victorian branch of the RSL later that year. I decided to defy this decission and I wrote to to Herald Sun. The story ended up on page three and my two sons and I turned up to the Melbourne ANZAC Day march. Two days before the ANZAC Day march I was contacted by the producers of the Ray Martin Midday Day on GTV9, and they wanted to interview me and my children live after the march that year.
No sooner after we arrived at the Melbourne's ANZAC Day, two police officers aproached us and told me that I wasn't allowed into march. But then they told me to jump into the march at the last minute which we did and we completed the march. After the march we then drove the the GTV9 studios in Bendigo Street, Richmond, and we were given security passes and we were taken to the GTV9 green room. The studio was owned by Bond in those dayswith people dressed as a and I was suprised to see so many refrigerators stacked wig We were d with Swan beer and CocaCola. After they applied make up wewere told to make our selves comportal. I met Shane Vahgn who introduced me to Maurie Fields. I met Veneta Field and Tony Barber. They were both performing on the Midday Show. Tony Barber was dressed in a World War One Australian Army uniform, and he sang a melody of World War One songs. There was an 83 year old lady who was a close friend to Ray Martin. She showed me a photo album with personal photographs of Ray and his family. She was interviewed by Ray and told him that she had recently done a bungy jump and a jump out of an aeroplane. Finally It was my turn to be interviewed about the army service of my father. I sent some questions a few days before the interview but when we went live I started telling my own story. The whole interview can be seen on Youtube by typing in docdoughty. At the end of the interview I recieved a message from the producer of the Midday Show that an old jockey who once worked for Ernest Underwood, wanted to talk to me. I ran him up and he told me that he remembered my dad and for many years he had kept my father's original accordian. My wife Sue and I went to his home in Frankston and he shared his photographs and told us that he had gone on to be a country jockey. He told me that he had always thought about my fathr and wondered what had become of him. It was a wonderful afternoon. He sadly died six months later.
I was so happy that my father's last job was riding a horse and cart for the Port Melbourne City Council. He became a well known personality in the community and he loved his horse.
My father once said to me that he hoped he would never be forgotten. He sadly only lived until he was 58 years old. The war had left him with various health problems. I decided to dedicate every ANZAC Day to my father. Each year, for 37 years, I took somebody in my imediate family with me to the Melbourne Dawn Service and the ANZAC Day march.
My three sons and my daughter all had their turn of wearing my dad's unform and his six medals. They had their photographs taken most years, and we have them in an album and on my website ddoughty.com.
My brother Kevin and I loved to sing and tell jokes and we appeared in our annual scout group's Gang show. We dreamed of being famous entertainers and we would sing any where, including hotels. We would enter talent quests on radio and television. We first appeared on HSV7's Happy Show. We appeared on a now forgotten television talent show on channel O called Jimmy Hannon's New Talent Time. We also appeared on Radio 3UZ show, John McMahn's, Radio Auditions. They would award a one dollar, two dollar or three dollar awards, depending how good your act was. We appeared many times on that program. In 1975 we were chosen to appear on 3UZ Moomba auditions at the Sidney Myer Music Bowel. That year the now imfamous Rolf Harris was chosen as Moomba King and we spent some time with him in the green room, behind the stage.
We appeared on the television talent show Kevin Dennis New Faces with the great Frank Wilson. We won the encouragement award on one of those programs. I appeared with my brother Kevin on six of those shows. Then Bert Newton took over the program and it was called Safeway New Faces, and I did a solo performance on another five programs performing, in a commercial presentation competition for their new sponser, Safeway Supermarkets. I came first on three shows, and on one show I managed to make the grandfinal, after becoming equal fourth with three other acts. The grandfinal show only required one more act, so I had to beat three acts in a play off for a place in the grand final. I did a comedy act, playing a camp "LIttle Jack Horner" and I won $500. My brother kevin and I appeared in a number of shows over our lives together and we achieved some success.
I have a diary of all our presentations over at least thirty years of performing and singing together. We met a stand up comedian, Danny O'Meara, father of a friend of my brother Kevin, and the rest was history. Danny took us to our first professional job, and he gave us our first big break. It was a bit nerve racking but we both worked very well together and this pleased Danny. It was a non paying job but it was great R. S. L. in December 1977, and it payed $50 and the audiance loved our act. Our third paying job was at Lazy Harry's Resturant on the 31st of December 1977 and we recived $70. It was't a great night at first but it ended well. It was after that job that we decided to hire our own sound system each time. We then had a very successful performance at a wedding in Heidleburg. On March 8th 1978 we worked at Frankston R. S. L. for $70. The compare of the show was Rex Hunt. Then we received $70 at the Braybrook Football Club, working with mime artist and Football Club on the 28th of Junecomedian, Norm Hanvey on the 16th of April 1978.
Our next project was the Sunshine Baseball Club on June the 25th in 1978 and then the Sunshine Baseball Club on June the25th 1978 and we received $90. We were receiving great reactions from our audiance at that stage. We performed with Danny O'Meara at the Edithvale Football Club on Feburary 1978. One of our favourate nights was at the Gembrooke Football Club on the 28th of June 1978. We received $90. It was a sportsman's night we performed with the great Australian Cricketer Max Walker, Australian long distance runner George Perdon and Hawthorn Footballer Peter Knights. On August 28th 1978 we appeared on GTV9 New Faces. We scored the third highest mark that night and we received a booking from the V.F.L. Umpires and Trainers Night and finally we had hit the big time.
The next two weeks we worked at the Sunshine Municiple Band and the Braybrook Fooball Club. At Braybrook we worked with Russ Landel the Magician. Our next job was the University Blues Football Club and that was a difficult night.
We were thrilled to be hired and invited to perform at the Melbourne Football Club at the M.C.G. in 1978 in both the Long Room and the Member's Room. We both being Melbourne supporters loved the experiance. We then sang at the Preston R.S.L. on the 15th of September 1978 and we received $80 each for twenty minutes work. Our next performance was D. Richardson & Son. It wasn't one of our better jobs but we earned $80 each.
We hit the big time again when we were asked to perform athe North Melbourne Football Club. Actor George Malaby the actor compared the show together with comedian rubber face Johny Craig.
Our next big break was when we were hired to perform at the Essendon Football Club Grand Final Breakfast. It was a great show and it had a great atmosphere. After a long rest during October after the birth of my son Timothy, we performed at Williamstown freemasons lodge at Selwyn Park with Comedy mi at the 1979 V.F.L.Umpiresnight in JAULY 1979.me Norm Hanvey. We were supported by a singer from N.S.W, 'The Dynamic Bob Gillard'. Our next job was at the Albian Park Cricket Club in Heidelburg, a small audiance but they enjoyed the show we did. We ended 1978 with four more shows charging $100 a performance.In 1979 we mainly performed in R.S.L.s and hotels although we did perform once again at the V.F.L. Umpire's night. By late 1979 we were charging $120 for a twenty minute spot. The 28th of September 1979 was a very enjoyable job at the Marabanong R.S.L. as we were honoured to have performed with the famous Ron Blasket and Gerry Gee. On September 30th we performed in front of an audiance of 400 at the Essendon Football Club.
Once again in 1980 we worked at various clubs and we were invited to the Essendon Football Football V.F.L. club for the third year running. In 1980 we performed at the Gembrooke Football Club andthe highlight was spending time with Ex- Champion football player, fabulous Pil Carman, who talked about his twenty week suspension for head butting an umpire. On May the 30th 1980 we supported two strippers at the Sandringham Football Club.
We performed on GTV9 New faces and we were recieved very well. We continued to perform together in the next few years. We came second in a talent competition at the Knox Club on the 16th of March 1983. we continued to perform and went well at the Gembrook Football Club on the 26th of July 1986 and by then we were paid $165. We performed at Chelsea Heights Football Club and received $200.
Our last performance together was Hey Hey It's Saturday. GTV9, 25th of January 1995.
From 1969 I began working as a carpenter with the CommonwealtDepartment of Works. It changed it's name a number of times until it became Australian Construction Services. Over the next twenty six years I worked on many Government and defence establishments, and I met many important people. I worked for Primeminister Bob Hawke, Science Minister Barry Jones, Aborigine Minister Clive Cameron, opposition leader Andrew Peacock, and many more famous people. I worked restoring Victoria Barracks in St Kilda Road and I helped restore the World War Two war room. I worked many times at Treasury Place Melbourne. I also worked with my brother Kevin as an entertainer at various venues for cash in hand.
OLD FAMILY POTOGRAPHS
My great great grand father - Henry Doughty with family bible - 1871 - Henry Doughty & Jane Millar marriage: Henry Doughty, batchelor, Portsmouth England, painter, 24, Ballarat, Richard Doughty & Jane Wells, occn unclear (??? maker)
Jane Millar, spinster, Cambusbarron, Stirling Scotland, dressmaker, 27, Ballarat,
Parents David Millar & Mary Johnstone
When Henry Doughty was born in 1832 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, his father, Richard, was 37 and his mother, Pamala, was 22. He married Jane Miller on January 15, 1858, in Ballarat, Victoria. They had seven children in 14 years. He died in 1903 at the age of 71.
Pat Marshall, later to marry Bill Smith
