Museum enriched by donated collection

THE war medals and memorabilia of Ascot man, driver William Sanders Dougall have found a new home at the Ballarat Ranger Military Museum.

The Will Dougall Collection’s recent custodian, Jessie Woods decided to donate all pieces to the museum as the repository for all Australian World War One 8th and 39th Battalion, and 18 Company, memorabilia.

Mr Dougall’s great niece, Mrs Woods handed over the medals, photographs, cards and badges to museum manager, Neil Leckie last Friday, alongside her daughter, Helen Woods.

“At the outbreak of war in 1914, Will was a ‘farmer and grazier’ at Ascot. 35 years old and still single, Will enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force on 12 July, 1915 in Ballarat,” Mrs Woods said.

Selected as an 18 Company driver, he served in Egypt with 50 men from Ballarat and Creswick.

“Arriving off Suez on 8 December, the men finally disembarked on 12 December, 1915. It was here that the men learnt their jobs as army drivers, farriers, wheelwrights, blacksmiths, harness makers, saddlers and soldiers,” she said.

“Will’s war started badly. After four weeks in Egypt, he fell ill with gastritis and a further six weeks later, was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection.”

He re-joined 18 Company in March before travelling to Marseille, France in June on the troopship Tunisian.

“Will was one of the fortunate ones,” Mrs Woods said. “His service record, available through National Archives Australia, showed from arrival in France in 1916 until leaving France in early 1919, he did not get sick again.

“He arrived in England in mid-January, 1919 as one of those men who had enlisted in 1915 and were to return home from the war.”

Back in Melbourne by 7 May, 1919, he received his ‘Termination of Period of Enlistment’ on 29 June.

“Will” married Annie Somers Coutts in 1923 and died thirteen years later. He is buried in Coghill’s Creek.

The Ballarat Ranger Military Museum is open Thursdays, 1pm to 4pm or by appointment on 0400 573 802.