Dugald Thomas Main

Dugald Thomas Main

Western Mail
Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1881
Place of Birth	Ballarat, Victoria
Death	25 Jan 1962, aged 80
Place of Death	Wembley, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	35 Years, 9 months
Description	5' 7½" (1.71m) tall ; 160 lbs 72.575 kg ; medium complexion ; blue eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Engine fitter
Religion	Church of England
Address	Post Office Beenup, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Levina Main
Military Information
Reg Number	4420
Date of Enlistment	20 Jul 1917
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2nd Pioneer Battalion, 12th Reinforcements
Date of Embarkation	30 Oct 1917 ‒ 27 Dec 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A60 Aeneas Melbourne to Devonport
Date of Return	16 Jun 1919 ‒ 24 Jul 1919
Ship Returned On	RMS Ormonde
Fate	Wounded in Action 30 Aug 1918 Mount St Quentin Returned to Australia
Monument	none at present
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

In 1902 he married Levina Bennett in Coolgardie. Levina died in West Leederville on 21 Jul 1963, aged 81.

Electoral Roll entries - 1910 with Levina at 17 Lode street, Brown Hill (Kalgoorlie) an engine driver; 1913 moved by himself to Gwalia. 1916 an engineer at Beenup

War Service

After enlisting in Perth, Dugald was sent to Broadmeadows camp in Victoria for Pioneer training before travelling to England with his reinforcement draft.

On his arrival in England he was sent to the Pioneer Training Battalion at Sutton Veny on 27 Dec 1917 to prepare for service on the Western Front. On 18 Feb 1918 he was appointed an Acting Lance Corporal, reverting to Private on 7 Apr 1918 when he proceeded via Southampton to France where he was taken on strength of the 2nd Pioneer Battalion on 26 Apr 1918.

On 30 Aug 1918 Dugald received a severe shell wound to his head and chest. Initially treated by 6th Field Ambulance he was passed in turn to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station and the 12th General Hospital in Rouen before on 5 Oct 1918 being embarked for the UK on HMHS Gloucester Castle at Rouen. On arrival in England he was admitted to the 3rd Western General Hospital in Cardiff.

The unit War Diary doesn't specifically mention how the wound was received, simply one wounded and three to hospital, sick. However, two of the Companies were reconnoitering roads in the forward area and could have been observed by enemy artillery.

Dugald was finally thought to be 'out of danger' on 30 Oct 1918, and by 1 Jan 1919 he was reported as being convalescent. On 14 Mar 1919 Dugald was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, where he was released on 7 Apr 1919 for two weeks furlough before preparing for return to Australia.

The length of time between Dugald's return to Fremantle and his discharge (8 months) would suggest that he spent a considerable time as both an in and an out patient at 8th Australian General Hospital Fremantle after his return. He was discharged on 5 Mar 1920 by the 5th Military District.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1916 - 1925 an engineer at the State Brickworks in Beenup; 1929 at 53 Kimberley street, Balkatta, where they remain until WW2; 1943 - 63 at 70 Ruislip street, Leederville.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial