The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (NX66806) Sergeant William Oscar McDougall, 2/12th Field Ambulance, Second World War, 1939-1945

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (NX66806) Sergeant William Oscar McDougall, 2/12th Field Ambulance (Centaur), Second World War.

NX66806 Sergeant William Oscar McDougall, 2/12th Field Ambulance (Centaur)
KIA 14 May 1943

Today we remember and pay tribute to Sergeant William Oscar McDougall.

William McDougall was born on 21 September 1911 in the Sydney suburb of Redfern, the son of James and Catherine McDougall.

By the time that the Second World War had been declared, he had married Anne Gault, and they were living in the Sydney suburb of Lilyfield. On 28 March 1938, they had a daughter Anne.

William was working as a hospital attendant, so when he enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force on 4 June 1940, he was a natural fit for a role in a field ambulance unit. After the founding of the 2/12 Field Ambulance in November he was assigned to that unit, joining them at Cowra in January 1941.

In March he began the train journey to Darwin, where he was appointed a specialist nursing orderly. During training in the Northern Territory, his unit provided medical support for the 23rd Brigade, participated in the construction of five small medical hospitals, and assisted sappers and pioneer assault units.

On 14 July 1941, McDougall’s wife gave birth to a boy, named James Swan McDougall.

The following year, McDougall was promoted to acting corporal in June, and acting sergeant in August. Later in August, he was admitted to hospital suffering from a malady that was variously diagnosed as fibrositis or myositis, both inflammatory conditions.

He rejoined his unit in November 1942, and after a few weeks of being detached for duty to a training school, he returned to have his rank of sergeant confirmed.

In mid-January 1943, McDougall set out on the train journey from Darwin to Sydney, and on the 11th May embarked on the hospital ship Centaur.

With the beginning of hostilities with Japan, it had become clear that the three hospital ships currently serving Australia would not be able to operate in the shallow waters typical of maritime south-east Asia.

Centaur was a Scottish-built vessel that had been launched in 1924 as a combination passenger liner and refrigerated cargo ship. In order to serve in its new role, Centaur was refitted with an operating theatre, dispensary, two wards (located on the former cattle decks), and a dental surgery, along with quarters for 75 crew and 65 permanent Army medical staff.

On 12 May Centaur sailed, transporting the 2/12th Field Ambulance to New Guinea. Before dawn on the 14th of May 1943, Centaur was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine off North Stradbroke Island, Queensland. The majority of those aboard died in the attack; 64 survivors were discovered two and a half days later.

The incident resulted in public outrage, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that the probable identity of the attacking submarine became public. Today, despite an abundance of theories and the discovery of the wreck of Centaur on the 20th of December 2009, the reason for the attack is still unknown.

William McDougall’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among almost 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Sergeant William Oscar McDougall, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.