Doig, Norman Alexander

No.8664 – Private Norman Alexander Doig – 7^th Field Ambulance

Norman was born in Semaphore South Australia in 1887, shortly after which the family moved to WA and took up residence in Howard Street Fremantle. He was educated in Fremantle and after leaving school he took up employment as a Machinist. Like his brothers, Norman was also a talented footballer and he played for East Fremantle in the WAFL. When war was declared Norman tried to enlist early but he was knocked back due to slight deafness. He tried to enlist again in Perth in August 1915 and this time was accepted for service. He was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was assigned to the Australian Army Medical Corps. Norm worked for the next few months in the camp hospitals at Blackboy Hill and Belmont. He was then assigned to the 13^th Reinforcements to the 4^th Field Ambulance.

This group departed from Fremantle aboard the HMAT Borda on the 17^th January 1916. After reaching Egypt, Norm was sent to the Base Details Camp and on the 5^th March 1916 he was assigned to the 7^th Field Ambulance. He didn’t have long with this group in Egypt as just a week later the 2^nd Division set sail for France.

On arrival at Marseilles, the 2^nd Division was sent north to the Armentieres sector where they gained their first experience on the Western Front. Norman served through the Somme campaign with his Field Ambulance unit in what was a very busy time for the stretcher bearers. On the 5^th December 1916 Norman was transferred for a short detachment to the 8^th Field Ambulance but returned to the 7^th a week later. Norm served through the freezing 1916/17 French winter in the horrendous conditions on the Somme and later went with his units as they followed up the German withdrawal in early 1917. On the 9^th April Norm was evacuated with influenza but returned on the 23^rd April.

On the 3^rd May the stretcher bearers of the 2^nd Division had a busy time during the 2^nd Battle of Bullecourt. Norm himself became a patient when he was blown up by a shell and hit by shrapnel through the shoulder, chest, arm, abdomen and leg. He was sent as a patient to the 5^th Field Ambulance and then transferred on to the 3^rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station. After further treatment here Norm was put on an ambulance train and sent to No.10 General Hospital in Rouen.

Though he had a few wounds none would prove too serious and on the 13^th May he was transferred to a Convalescent Depot at Buchy. Norm rejoined the 7^th Field Ambulance on the 30^th July 1917. His CO must have thought Norman deserved a further holiday as on the 10^th August he was granted leave to England, returning on the 23^rd August.

Norm served through the actions on Menin Road and Broodseinde Ridge with the 2^nd Division during the Third Battle of Ypres. He was sent to hospital ill in late October 1917 as suffering from trench fever and it appears that prior to this Norm had been blown up by a shell during his work at Passchendaele but as he was not wounded he continued on working. This seemed to have an effect on his health and so Norm was evacuated to England.

Through 1918 Norman found himself attached to various AIF training units so he did not return to the Western Front. On the 1^st June 1918 Norm got married in Scotland to an Eliza Drabble from Dundee and with Norm on Base Work for the next year and a half the couple were never separated for long. On the 29^th December 1919 Norm and Eliza boarded the HMT Port Napier and sailed for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 2^nd February 1920. He was discharged from the AIF on the 11^th April 1920.

Norman Doig died on the 6^th September 1967 and was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.

Back: James Alexander Doig, William Cleaver Robinson Alexander Doig, Norman Alexander Doig, John Alexander Doig, Charles Alexander Doig

Middle: James Alexander Doig, Margaret Elder Doig, Ronald Oldham Doig, Agnes Robertson Doig, John Norman Doig, Mary Fraser Doig, George Ronald Doig, Isabella Doig, Charles George Doig

Front: Mary Fraser Doig, William Wallace Doig, Edgar David Doig, Linda May Doig

(Family Photo courtesy of Doig Family history site)