Francis James Doherty was born in Londonerry, Ireland, 1882 to Francis(Snr) and Susan Doherty.
He later moved to Australia and later married Mary J Doherty of Granville, NSW.
Frank (Francis James) Doherty was a well known local soccer player, having played for the highly successful HMS Powerful team and later the Granville Magpies. In his early thirties he played games with the famous premiership winning 1914 and 1915 Magpies team.
He had previously served 16 years in the British Navy and when war broke out, he volunteered to serve overseas with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). He embarked at Sydney, New South Wales aboard HMAT Bakara on 4 September 1918 and was a member of the Australian Army Medical Corps.
On arrival at Egypt he was put into the ranks of private and whilst in active service in Gallipoli was promoted to Corporal. After the evacuation he was promoted to Sergeant and then Warrant Officer.
On the 19th December 1916 he was wounded in action while evacuating wounded suffering gunshot wounds to face and neck. He later wrote a letter to the Cumberland Argus of the injury:
“We were just going over the top when a shell burst alongside of me and I was hit in the face and knocked over, and to my dismay when I recovered I was stone blind and deaf, but otherwise alright…” His hearing did not fully return but he kept serving.
He was awarded the Military Cross in June 1917, only to be severely wounded in the right thigh by a bomb in October 1917. He wrote, “I thought it was a case of losing my leg, but thank god I have got over it all right.”
While recovering in France he had a fortunate meeting with his friend Ned Doherty, of no relation, who also played with the Magpies.
On the 11th of January 1919 he embarked HT Osterley for return to Australia, disembsarking in Sydney on the 26th of February 1919. Frank was discharged from the army in May 1919, and died that same month from “Acute Nephritis”, a complication associated with the wound in his right leg, two months after arriving back in Australia.
He was awarded the Military Cross, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and was laid to rest in the
Roman Catholic Section 2, Row 5, Grave 239, of the Rookwood Cemetery.
Frank is remembered by all his descendants for his service and sacrifice.
Read lessFrancis James Doherty was born in Londonerry, Ireland, 1882 to Francis(Snr) and Susan Doherty.
He later moved to Australia and later married Mary J Doherty of Granville, NSW.
Frank (Francis James) Doherty was a well known local soccer player, having played for the highly successful HMS Powerful team and later the Granville Magpies. In his early thirties he played games with the famous premiership winning 1914 and 1915 Magpies team.
He had previously served 16 years in the British Navy and when war broke out, he volunteered to serve overseas with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). He embarked at Sydney, New South Wales aboard HMAT Bakara on 4 September 1918 and was a member of the Australian Army Medical Corps.
On arrival at Egypt he was put into the ranks of private and whilst in active service in Gallipoli was promoted to Corporal. After the evacuation he was promoted to Sergeant and then Warrant Officer.
On the 19th December 1916 he was wounded in action while evacuating wounded suffering gunshot wounds to face and neck. He later wrote a letter to the Cumberland Argus of the injury:
“We were just going over the top when a shell burst alongside of me and I was hit in the face and knocked over, and to my dismay when I recovered I was stone blind and deaf, but otherwise alright…” His hearing did not fully return but he kept serving.
He was awarded the Military Cross in June 1917, only to be severely wo... More
