Victory Medal with MID : Lieutenant Colonel J E Dods, Australian Army Medical Corps, AIF

Victory Medal with MID oak leaf. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Joseph Espie Dods was born in London on 29 June 1874 and arrived in Brisbane as a young child. After studying at Brisbane Grammar, Dods travelled abroad to complete a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in Edinburgh before completing postgraduate studies in Public Health in Dublin.

Dods returned to Brisbane and joined the Army Medical Corps as a captain in 1899. He was attached to 1 Queensland Mounted Infantry and left Australia for service in the Boer War on 1 November. Arriving at Table Bay on 12 December and landing at Cape Town the following day Dods served with 1 Queensland Mounted Infantry for twelve months and was present at the Battle of Sunnyside, the Relief of Kimberley and the occupation of Bloemfontein as well as a number of other significant actions. The unit returned to Australia in December 1900 and arriving in Brisbane on 17 January 1901.

Dods was appointed Government Medical Officer, Brisbane and was serving in that capacity at the outbreak of the First World War. Enlisting in October 1914 Dods was appointed Medical Officer of 5 Light Horse Regiment, and embarked for overseas service with that unit aboard HMAT Persic on 21 December 1914. Serving on Gallipoli from May 1915, Dods suffered severe wounds to the shoulder on 29 August. He was evacuated off the Peninsula aboard the Hospital Ship Gloucester Castle and taken to 21 General Hospital, Alexandria. He was transferred to 1 Red Cross Convalescent Hospital, Bukeley where he was discharged for duty on 12 October and returned to his unit on 4 November. Present at the final evacuation Dods was awarded a Military Cross for his gallantry on the Peninsula where on numerous occasions he attended to casualties under heavy shell fire.

On 1 January 1916 Dods was promoted to major, and appointed Deputy Assistant Director Medical Services (DADMS) of 1 Division. Transferring to Headquarters 1st Australian Division on 8 January he was Mentioned in Despatches on 28 January before leaving Egypt in March for the Western Front.

During the Battle of Pozieres Dods was responsible for organising the thousands of casualties from the Division. For these actions he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He also received a second Mention in Despatches and was appointed lieutenant colonel on 27 January 1917. Relinquishing his appointment as DADMS Dods was transferred to England for return to Australia. Arriving in Melbourne on 12 April his appointment in the AIF was terminated on 28 April.