Doherty, John Charles
944 Private John Charles Doherty - 10th Light Horse Regiment
John Charles Doherty was born in Beverley WA on the 10th April 1887 to Patrick and Susan Doherty. He had five siblings, with, Kathleen 1890, Vivian 1891, Cora 1893, Muriel 1896 and Irene 1901.
His father was in the Police service and soon after John's birth Patrick Doherty received a posting to the North Fremantle Police Station. John was therefore educated in North Fremantle and grew up in the local area. The North Fremantle Police Station and accommodation where John lived is at the current property of 211-217 Queen Vitoria Street North Fremantle.
After leaving school he became involved in training horses and became a horse driver.
On the 11th November 1914 John enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 3 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight -119lbs;
Chest Measurement - 34 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Dark.
Upon his successful enlistment, John was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. Due to his experience with horses he was assigned to the Light Horse Depot. He was then assigned to the 5th Reinforcements to the 10th Light Horse Regiment. He trained with this group in WA until April 1915.
On the 26th April 1915 John embarked with this group from Fremantle Harbour aboard the transport ship HMAT Hororata. The ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving there in mid-May 1915.
By the time they arrived at Egypt the 10th Light Horse had already embarked for Gallipoli, so John remained in Egypt until reinforcements were needed. This soon occurred and on the 13th July 1915 he was taken on strength of the 10th Light Horse at Walkers Ridge Gallipoli.
John was only at Gallipoli for a few weeks before he came down seriously ill with dysentery. He was evacuated on the 3rd August 1915, thereby missing his unit's engagement at the Nek.
He was transferred to the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital at Mudros where he remained for the next few months though it appears he rejoined the 10th Light Horse Regiment in December 1915.
After Gallipoli had been evacuated John returned to Egypt and was sent to the 2nd Australian General Hospital. He was soon diagnosed with a strained heart and he remained in hospital in Egypt through the first three months of 1916.
The medical authorities decided to return John to Australia for health reasons. On the 11th April 1916 John boarded the transport ship HT Runic at Suez and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 14th May 1916.
After further medical testing at No.8 Australian general Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle, John was discharged from the AIF on the 18th September 1916. He then returned home to North Fremantle.
John was Married on the 21st October 1916 in Beaconsfield to Ida May Strickland. A daughter Dorothy was born in South Fremantle in 1917 followed by a son Frank in 1918.
In 1917 the family moved to 14 Commercial Road South Fremantle and was working with the Post Office as a Letter Carrier.
By 1922 the family had moved to 13 Mandurah Rd South Fremantle with John now working as a Butcher.
John and the family then moved to Claremont, living at Walter Road. The family then moved to St Quentin Ave in Claremont in the 1930's.
They remained in Claremont till the 1930's then moved back to 101 Samson Street. (later demolished and now part of 99A Samson St).
John lived here till his death on the 29th November 1963 aged 76. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Roman Catholic MON C3 0458