No. 3538/86018/69513  Allan John Capewell Doherty
Allan was born on 18 April 1896 in North Williamstown, Victoria.  His mother was Kate Orne Capewell, aged 32, and his father was John William Samuel Doherty, aged 27.  On enlistment his father, John William Doherty, who was his next of kin, was living at Blackshaws Road, Spotswood, Victoria.

War Service
He first enlisted on 16 August 1915 at Melbourne, Victoria at the age of 24 years 7 months.  Weighing 165 pounds and was five feet eight and a half inches tall. He had a fresh complexion, eyes of blue and his hair was brown.

Allan embarked for active service with the 11th Reinforcements, 8th Battalion on 11 October 1915.

He was promoted to Corporal on 15 March 1916 and joined the British Expeditionary Forces on 30 March 1916 at Alexandria. He then took troop transport ship and disembarked at Marseilles.

Allan was wounded in action in France on 19 August 1916 and was admitted to 13th Field Hospital. From there he was transferred to 13th General Hospital Boulogne on 31 August 1916.

He embarked on H.T. St Patrick at Boulogne for England, suffering from a gun shot wound to the chest on 14 September 1916, and was then admitted to the War Hospital in Croyden (severe condition) on 15 September 1916. After he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital located at Dartford, England.  He was discharged from hospital on 25 November 1916 to Weymouth.

On 12 January 1917 he was admitted to University War Hospital with Dysentery.

On 22 March 1917 he embarked to Australia Ex Plymouth per HT Beltana and disembarked at Melbourne on 12 May 1917.  He was discharged on 29 June 1917, medically unfit – Disability – Gun Shot Wound in the left Lung.

On 15 October 1918 he re-enlisted in the AIF with permanent rank of Sergeant, with his unit being the 1st Depot Battalion. The war ended on 11 November and he was again discharged at Melbourne on the 24 December 1918, with his length of service having been 72 days.

His third enlistment was on 30 June 1919 at Holdsworthy, New South Wales . He enlisted with permanent rank of Sergeant (Ex-No 86018) to the Special Services Unit – Escort German Repatriation. He was an escort for the repatriation of German deportees from Australia to England.

Embarked Trans Os Montes on 8 July 1919 from Sydney as an escort and disembarked in London on 6 September 1919.   Allan returned to Australia per H.T. Aeneas on 22 November 1919 and disembarked at Melbourne on 9 January 1920.

He was finally discharged from the A.I.F. at Melbourne, Medically Unfit, Disability – GSW Chest and Deafness on 17 March 1920.

Post War
Allan married Olive Maude Lilburne in 1922 in Victoria. They had one child during their marriage, Edward Evans Doherty, who was born in 1927.

Allan died on 16 January 1944 in Camperdown Hospital, aged 47, as the result of burns sustained in the disastrous bushfires that left a trail of ruin in the Western District area.  His son, Edward, was also killed in the bushfire and passed away on 15 January, aged 17.
The Age, 17 January 1944, p.3.
The Argus, 17 January 1944, p.3.
The Argus, 17 January 1944, p.4.

Death notices from the his wife and son, and other family members were published:
The Age, 17 January 1944, p.5.
The Argus, 17 January 1944, p.2.
The Argus, 19 January 1944, p.2.

Their stock losses were also reported:
Camperdown Chronicle, 21 January 1944, p.2.

Inquests were held into both deaths later that week:
The Age, 20 January 1944, p.3.
The Argus, 20 January 1944, p.4.
Camperdown Chronicle,21 January 1944,p.3.
Camperdown Chronicle, 25 January 1944, p.2.

A probate notice was published in The Argus, 26 January 1944, p.14.

Medals and Entitlements:

• 1914/15 Star - No.94103
• British War Medal - 21348
• Victory Medal - 21216

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AIF Project
https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au