Archie (Archibald) McDOUGALL

Archibald (Archie) McDougall was the firstborn child of Andrew McDougall and Elizabeth O’Brien on the 12 June 1895 in Cooktown and was followed by 3 brothers and 4 sisters, not all of whom survived infancy.

Prior to his service in the 26th Battalion, Archie served in the Far North Queensland Kennedy Regiment, known as the Dirty 500. Members of the Dirty 500, including Archie, landed on Thursday Island on 16 August 1914 from the troopship “Kanowna”, to take part in the capture of German New Guinea. An incident on board the “Kanowna” involving the firemen forced the immediate return of the troops to Townsville on 18 August 1914; he was discharged the same day.

On his enlistment in Townsville on 27 September 1915 his occupation was Sawyer and he was 20 years 3 months of age, his next of kin his mother Mrs E McDougall, Jones St., Townsville.  His height was 5 feet 8 1/4 inches in height, weighed 9 stone 5 1/2  pounds, with brown complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He was Church of England.  His father Andrew McDougall gave consent as Archie was under age.

He embarked from Brisbane on 3 January 1916 on HMAT Kyarra and arrived in Marseilles, France on 21 March 1916, via Alexandria, Egypt. He was promoted to Corporal on 25 February 1917 ,

Archibald (Archie) McDougall was injured by a gunshot wound to the chest on 26 March and was transferred to a Casualty Clearing Station where he died of his wounds on 11 April 1917. He was buried at Aveluy Communal Cemetery Extension, Aveluy, Picardie, France.