Captain – The Harrower Collection

36th BATTALION 33rd BATTALION A.I.F.

Captain: Charles John DOIG. M.C.

Born: 25th March 1887. North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Died: 1st October 1918. Killed in Action Hindenberg Line.

Father: Alexander Evans Doig.

Mother: Agnes Eadie Doig. nee: Torrance. (1854-1928) died at Chatswood, N.S.W. Death Cert:7590/1928.

INFORMATIONCharles John Doig enlisted on the 15th of November 1915 and was transferred to D Company, 36th Battalion AIF with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, and left Sydney on board HMAT A72 "Beltana" on the 13th of May 1916.

11th March 1919

Informant; Lieutenant Colonel: Leslie James MORSHEAD Commanding Officer 33rd Battalion Headquarters. This Officer was in charge of D Company, 33rd Battalion, and on 1-10-1918 after crossing the HINDENBERG LINE near BRAY and prior to making and advance on LE CHATELET, he was sitting in a shell hole explaining the proposed operation when a enemy 6" shell fell close by and a fragment struck him in the head. Death was instantaneous. He was buried by Chaplain: BURKITT of this Battalion, the C.O. Adjutant, and other Officers attending the funeral. a suitable cross was erected by us. He was buried at WIANCCURT.

A.I.F. Headquarters 13-3-18.

17th March 1919

Informant: Private: 3400 Cecil Ernest WALSH B Company 33rd Battalion AIF. On the 1/10/1918 the Battalion was through the HINDENBURG LINE, advancing on BEAUREVOIR. About 4:00 pm before they reached the village the Huns opened up a "Whiz-bang" and machine gun barrage on them and Captain: Charles John DOIG. M.C was killed outright by a "Whiz-bang" while he was in reserves for the moment. Informant further ahead and was wounded and while being carried out he passed the Captain lying dead on the roadside. One of Informant's Strecher bearers named Jim Finlay pointed the Captain out to him. Informant came straight away to England, but was later told that BEAUREVOIR was captured after darkness set in. According to Informant Captain DOIG was a well liked Officer.

"Horton" Penkivil Street, Willoughby, N.S.W.

24th May 1919.

Informant; Lance Corporal: 1410 Lindsay IRVING 33rd Battalion, Transport Section. During the afternoon of October 1st 1918. Captain: Charles John DOIG was hit by a shell on the head, killing him instantly at BONEY in the front of the HINDENBURG LINE. He would be buried on the field near where he fell. This information was obtained by hearing the men's statements at the unit. I think Lieutenant Colonel: Leslie James MORSHEAD 33rd Battalion, who was at Tidworth and was in the stunt may be able to give more information.

Ward 5, 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital.

25th April 1919.

Informant; Private: 2938 Francis James LLOYD D Company 33rd Battalion AIF states that they both belonged to D Company of which Captain: Charles John DOIG. MC was the Commanding Officer. On 1/10/18 the Battalion was in action at BONNEY on the HINDENBURG LINE. They hopped over at 3:00 pm and an hour later the Captain was killed outright by a shell fragment while taking cover under a bank, he was hit in the head. Informant was about 3 yards away and saw the Captain Killed. He was buried near BONNEY, but Informant was not present but was given the details by one of his mate Private: 3420 William Albert KAYLOCK who helped bury the Captain. According to informant Captain DOIG was a very popular Officer indeed.

Victoria Barracks, Sydney.

3rd May 1916

Informant: Private: 2553 William DEVLIN 33rd Battalion AIF. Informant states that they both belonged to D Company, of which Captain: Charles John DOIG was Commanding Officer. On the 1st October 1918 the Battalion was in action on the Hindenberg Line. About half and hour before the hop over, which took place at 5:00 am, the Captain was killed outright by a shell while kneeling down in the act of taking cover from the heavy bombardment. Informant was about 5 yards away, and saw the Captain fall, in fact was wounded by the same shell. When informant was taken away the Captain had not been moved. Informant added that the Captain was and exceedingly well liked officer, being one of the best O.C's the Battalion had, and all the boys thought the world of him.

Victoria Barracks, Sydney, N.S.W.

Family InformationCharles was a 28 year old single Commercial Traveller from 29 East Crescent, McMahons Point, N.S.W upon enlistment. Charles served with the rank of Captain with N.S.W. Scottish Rifles prior to WW1. Charles was educated at Sydney Grammar School. His Parents Alexander and Agnes Doig had at least 3 children. Charles John Doig was born in 1887 but no record of his birth is registered in N.S.W. although he stated on his enlistment papers that he was born in South Sydney, N.S.W and died in 1918 during WW1. Alisa Doig born 1888 at St-Leonards, N.S.W. Birth Cert:13478/1888. Allan Torrance Doig born 1896 at St-Leonards, N.S.W. Birth Cert:34483/1896 and died in 1918 during WW1. His brother Allan enlisted with the 17th Battalion.

Lieutenant: Allan Torrance DOIG. M.C. served with the 17th Battalion and Died of Wounds on the 27th of June 1918 as a Prisoner of War.

Military Records World War 1 Records

(Photo Supplied by Arthur Scott)

Under construction; 23/09/2008-4/12/2016.

33rd BATTALION AIF.

Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER.

Born: 17th December 1883. Glenfield, New South Wales, Australia. Birth Cert:17806/1884.

Married: 1912. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Marriage Cert:8351/1912.

Wife: Dorothy Gwendoline Linklater. nee: Boyd. (1897-1981)

Died: 11th June 1917 Died of Wounds German Prisoner of War Camp, Germany.

Father: Captain: Charles Hay Linklater. (1839-1902)

Mother: Mary Linklater. nee: Hunter. (1846-1940)

INFORMATIONCharles Henry Linklater enlisted with the 2nd Battalion AIF in December 1914 with the rank of Captain and embarked for the Gallipoli Peninsula and was reported Wounded on the 14th May 1915 but returned to duty. He was transferred to Lemnos from the Casualty clearing Station as he was suffering from Influenza and embarked for Australia on board the Hospital Ship "Kanowna" in October 1915 where he was Struck off Strength with the 2nd Battalion.

Charles enlisted with C Company 33rd Battalion AIF when the Battalion was raised in January 1916 with the rank of Captain and embarked from Sydney for France on board HMAT A74 "Marathon" on the 4th May and disembarked at Devonport England on the 9th July 1916.

The 33rd Battalion was marched to the 9th Training Battalion at the Durrington Army Camp, Lark Hill and commenced training for overseas deployment and trench warfare. Charles was marched out to Revolver School at Weymouth on the 16th of September and upon his return to Lark Hill proceeded overseas for France on the 21st November 1916 and was Wounded in Action on the 28th January 1917 at Streenwerck where he received a Gun Shot wound to his Back and Thigh and was treated in the field by the 10th Australian Field ambulance before he was evacuated to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station. Charles was discharged to duty on the 7th February 1917.

9th April 1917.

On the 9th the 33rd once again took over the front line, again at L'Epinette. They moved to Senninghem on the 12th where they were headquartered until the 25th. Then once again they were on the march, via Renescure and Pradelle to Armentieres, Where, on the 28th they gained a well earned rest. On the 21st May the men of the 33rd were moved to Le Touquet to Ploegsteert Wood for the usual working parties, trench maintenance being high on the agenda for the coming offensive. Three days later they were at St Vyes for more of the same, relieved on the 26th May by the 34th Battalion and moved back to billets at Nippe.

(Never a Backward Step; Edwards 1996)

Charles received Special Mention in Sir Douglas Haig's Dispatches on the 9th of April and was later awarded the Military Cross

Recommended for MILITARY CROSS 7th July 1917 Captain LINKLATER I strongly recommend that the Military Crosses be awarded to Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER, and Lieutenant Walter John Clare DUNCAN. In the battle of MESSINES RIDGE,

MILITARY CROSSCaptain: Charles Henry LINKLATER. In the Battle of MESSINES RIDGE from June 7th to June 11th, Captain Charles Henry Linklater displayed great courage and splendid leadership. He constantly sent back valuable information. In spite of heavy losses he kept his men in the highest of spirits and consolidation and an excellent line. He establised and visited the first advance post at THATCHED COTTAGE and later at FUZE COTTAGE.

London Gazette 1st June 1917. Page 5422 Position 66.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 4th of October 1917. Page 624 Position 78.

4th October 1917.

Informant; PrivATE: 711 Walter Edward BRIGGS I am sorry to see that Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER is missing. he was a fine officer, a fine chap, one of the very best. No dought he was a fine chap.

Ward 18. Harefield.

NOTE: Captain: LINKLATER'S name appears in German Death List.

8th October 1917.

Informant; Private: 1512 Edwin James Harold BROWN Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER was in Command of C Company. He was wounded at St Ives, Alugestrent in June 1917 but it was read out in Battalion Orders that he died of wounds.

D Company, Stretcher Bearer. Australian Camp.

10th August 1917.

Informant; Private: 1487 George MILLER I believe that the word came through to the Battalion from Germany thet Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER (33rd Battalion C Company) is a prisoner. Lieutenant Colonel: Leslie James MORSHEAD would confirm this. He was captured in June at Messines whil taking a strong point.

3rd Southern General Hospital. Cowley, Oxford.

Home address; Easter Breich Farm, West Calder, Scotland.

4th September 1917.

Informant; Corporal: 1647 Ernest Albert FRASER 9th Light Trench Mortor Battery. Refer to Lieutenant Colonel: Leslie James MORSHEAD Officer Commanding 33rd Battalion who is still in France and who received word that Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER was wounded and that he was a Prisoner of War in Germany.

3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, DARTFORD, England.

11th October 1917.

Informant: Private: 801 Walter John KELLETT I was in an attack made during the night of June 7th. Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER wished to go over and see how his men were getting on but a company runner went first Private: 5011 Christopher Edward FOWLER and as he did not return the Captain went after him. The Captain never returned. Lieutenant: 800 Ruben Charles FLETCHER heard from him from a camp in Germany. I have since heard from Lieutenant Colonel: Leslie James MORSHEAD that Captain: LINKLATER died in Germany.

Edmonton Hospital, London, Ehgland.

12th October 1917.

Informant; Lieutenant: 800 Rupert Charles JONES I regret that we have no information yet concerning Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER but will be glad to forward it to you immediatley any tidings reach us. Note: Captain LINKLATER'S name appears in the German Death List. 7.8.1917.

26th October 1917.

Informant; Sergeant: 2000 Richard Charles MAY I knew that Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER (33rd Battalion) was wounded in action and taken prisoner during the attack on June 7-9 at Ploegsteert. He was then reported as missing. I believe that Lieutenant: Richard Henry BLOMFIELD (now in England wounded) heard through the Red Cross that he had died of wounds in Germany on August 7th.

Captain: LINKLATER was reported missing between 7.6.17 and 14.6.17. The last time I saw him was on the evening of the 6th June 1917, alive at Ploegsteert Wood, we had just come out of the trenches. He went into the trenches again on the 8th June with one Battalion, He went into action on that night and as far as I am aware he was never again after that date. It was generally believed in the Battalion that he had died of wounds whilst a prisoner in Germany on the 7th August 1917.

3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford England. Home Address 169 Ferrers Street, South Melbourne, Victoria. Australia.

27th October 1917.

Informant; Private: 2922 Victor Harold MACKIE I have heard Captain: Wilfred Frank HINTON (33rd Battalion A Company) speak about Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER (33rd Battalion C Company) who was missing one night. Some of our men went out to take a strong point and got into difficulties. Captain: LINKLATER went out to find them and was lost. We all think he must be a prisoner. I was not there myself and can not give the date or place.

3rd Southern General Hospital, Cowley Section, Oxford.

6th December 1917.

Informant; Lieutenant: 2559 Robert Horner FLETCHER 33rd Battalion. I was on duty in the new front line opposite St Yves on the morning of the 11th of June 1917. Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER was C Company Commander and at about 12:30am went forward to a post at Thatched Cot, 500 yardsin front of our line to await the reports from a party under Lieutenant: 1263 Edwin Charles Pond THOMAS of A Company which had been sent forward another 400 yardsto occupy Fuze Cot. At about 1:00am no word from the party having reached Thatched Cot. Captain: LINKLATER went forward with his runner Private: 950 William Stanley SMITH to try and get in touch with the party. They did not reach Fuze cot. Two runners had been sent back by Lieutenant: THOMAS at about midnight of the 10th-11th June but did not reach Thatched Cot until about 3:45am, when they stated that they lost their direction and had encountered a German Post. They lay in a shell hole thirty yards from the post to await daylight and while lying there they saw two figures approaching from the direction from which they themselves had come.

When these two figures were about 20 yards from the post they were challenged in English and two shots were fired. Then bombs were thrown from the German Post and the figureds disappeared. By the light of a veery light the runners saw about ten Germans apparently searching where they had last seen the two figures. There was nobody out from the lines at the time but the two runners, Captain: LINKLATER and his runner Private: SMITH Inquiries made by 2nd/Lieutenant: Richard Henry BLOMFIELD C Company of 33rd Battalion showed that Captain: LINKLATER'S name appeared on the German Death List of August 7th.

Note: Private: 950 William Stanley SMITH- MISSING. 7/12.6.1917. Captain: LINKLATER appears on German Death List of 7.8.1917 with no further evidence to report death in Germany.

3rd L.S. General Hospital Wandsworth, England.

MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES7th September 1918. Captain: Charles Henry LINKLATER.

By his gallant conduct and his devotion to duty and set his men a magnificent example and inspired them with the greatest confidence and affection. He also did valuable work at GALLIPOLI and was MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES, June 4 1917.

London Gazette 25th August 1917. Page 8823 Position 12.

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 20th of December 1917. Page 3381 Position 19.

Charles was reported at Missing in Action on the 11th June and was Struck off Strength but was later reported as Killed in Action Death reported from Germany 23rd January 1918.

RED CROSS POW RECORDS

MENIN GATE WAR MEMORIALCharles is remembered with honour and is commemorated in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at the MENIN GATE MEMORIAL, Ypres.

Family InformationCharles Henry Linklater was a Wool Merchant for Woolstonecraft, N.S.W. upon enlistment. Son of Charles Hay Linklater and Mary Hunter Linklater; husband of D. G. Linklater, of "Chaceby," Victoria St., Ashfield, New South Wales. Native of Glenfield, New South Wales. Panel 7 - 17 - 23 - 25 - 27 - 29 - 31.