John Thomas DOUGILL, DRIVER 80690
* Born: 3Q1897 at Darlington
* Son of: Thomas Edmund and Rosannah Dougill
* Local Address: 10 Russell Street, Darlington
* Father's Occupation: Builder and Contractor
* Siblings: Two brothers, four sisters, position in family 2
* Pre-War Occupation: Apprentice Bricklayer
* Enlisted: Darlington
* Regiment: 78th Field Company, Royal Engineers
* Died: Of wounds, Tuesday 23rd April, 1916
* Age: 19
* Buried: Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, France
John Thomas Dougill was born 3Q1897 in Darlington, the son of Thomas Edmund and Rosannah Dougill. He was the second oldest of the seven surviving children of Thomas and Rosannah. Thomas Edmund had married Rosannah Pallister in 1893 in Darlington. They had eight children but their daughter Elizabeth Eleanor had died in infancy in 1907. In 1911 the family of ten were living at 10 Russell Street East, Darlington. Thomas Edmund was described as a builder and contractor, and John Thomas as an apprentice bricklayer.
John Thomas’s younger brother Thirkell, born in June 1899 would also serve with the Army in France.
John Thomas’s service record was one of the 60% from WW1 that have not survived so we know little about his Army career. Soldiers who Died in the Great War (SDGW) records that he served as a driver with the Corps of Royal Engineers, 78/Field Company, Service Number 80690. His Commonwealth War Graves Commission record shows that he died of wounds on 23 April 1916 and is buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentières Grave Reference IX. G. 45.
The RE field companies provided technical skill and know-how in support of the divisional fighting units. 78/RE’s Battalion War Diary records that 78/RE sailed from Southampton to France on 14 April 1915, arriving at Le Havre the following day. However, John Thomas’s Medal Index Card indicates that he was not with them at that time, joining 78/RE sometime in 1916. We know this because he was not posthumously awarded the 1915 Star which required service in France at some time during 1915.
78/RE was active throughout the rest of 1915 carrying out various kinds of trench, tramway and other works in support of the infantry of 17th (Northern) Division in various parts of the Ypres Salient. In March 1916 the Company marched to Strazeele, some way behind the front line, and were billeted in a farm. They enjoyed a few days rest before moving south to Armentières, where the men started work in the trenches. At times the company was under fire. The entry for 21 April, among all the details of trench repair, is the comment “three Coys (Companies) crashed out by minenwerfer…”. A minenwerfer was a short-range mortar used extensively by the German Army to clear bunkers and barbed wire that longer-range artillery could not accurately target.
The last entry in the Battalion War Diary for April 1916 summarised the casualties sustained that month.
“3/4/16 - 1 O.R. wounded.
23/4/16 – 1 O.R. (Driver) died of wounds. 1 O.R. (Sapper) wounded.”
So the only death in April 1916 suffered by 78/RE was Driver John Thomas Dougill. He was buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery at Armentières in France.
John Thomas Dougill is commemorated on the War Memorial Cross in Haughton-le-Skerne, on the Brass Plaque in St Andrew’s Church, Haughton-le-Skerne and on a screen in St Hilda’s Church, Parkgate (now closed).
Although John Thomas Dougill’s service record no longer exists, that of his younger brother Thirkell does.
Thirkell Dougill enlisted on 12 October 1915 at Darlington and was assigned to 235th Army Troops Company Royal Engineers. He gave his age as 19 years 4 months but in fact he was only 16 years and 4 months old. At the time the minimum age for enlistment was 18 but a recruit could not be sent abroad until he was 19. Thirkell gave his trade as carman and his address as 10 Russell Street East, Darlington. A carman was a delivery driver, often employed by railway companies. At his medical on 12 October Thirkell Dougill was measured at 5ft 8in, weight 132lbs with good vision. His physical development was described as “Good”.
We can only speculate whether John Thomas Dougill and his brother Thirkell enlisted on the same day but it is certainly possible. They both joined the Royal Engineers, both with the rank of driver.
Thirkell Dougill left for France on 9 March 1916. It seems that his disciplinary record was variable. He is recorded as having shown insolence to his company sergeant major on 1 March 1916, after being five minutes late for the 07.00 parade (being late was also a disciplinary offence). It can’t have been seen as a particularly serious offence as his captain only confined him to barracks for one day. Towards the end of the war in October 1918 Thirkell overstayed his leave to England by 48 hours, for which he was confined to barracks for 14 days and forfeited two days pay. These events were very much balanced by being awarded a Good Conduct Badge in 1917 and much more importantly, being awarded the Military Medal in July 1918. The award of MM was recorded in The Gazette on 18 July 1918. Thirkell Dougill was demobilised and placed on Army Reserve in March 1919. On 13 October that year H G Steavenson, Darlington Town Clerk presented Thirkell Dougill with his Military Medal. Thirkell Dougill married Annie Blair of Cargott Farm Great Burdon in 1920 and died in 1956, age 57.
Sadly, Rosannah Dougill did not live to see any of this. She died at her home East Red Hall Farm, Haughton-le-Skerne on Friday 7 September 1917, the death registered by her husband Thomas Edmund Dougill. She was 45 years old and apart from her grown up children left her three youngest daughters aged 13, 9 and 6. Thirkell Dougill’s service record shows that he was granted leave to England at the timeof his mother’s death and his leave was extended, presumably so he could attend the funeral.
T E Dougill described himself as a farmer on the death certificate, but he must still have carried on his building company, which built Haughton-le-Skerne Village Hall, headquarter’s of the Women’s Institute, in 1926. He remarried in 1922, and later lived in Barmpton Lane, Haughton-le-Skerne.