Grave Cross : Driver W T Doolan, 2/21 Battalion, AIF

Wooden grave cross with a transverse arm attached by two nails to a single upright. The top and the ends of the arms have been cut into a diamond shape. The centre of the arm has incised lettering reading, 'IN MEMORY/ VX35406 DVR W T DOOLAN/ 2/21 BATTALION A.I.F./ KIA 1ST FEBRUARY 1942'.

William Thomas Doolan was born at Werribee, Victoria, in January 1913, and worked as a taxi driver in Melbourne prior to his enlistment in the AIF in July 1940. He became a driver in the transport section of 2/21 Battalion, with the service number VX35406, and in 1941 was sent to the island of Ambon with the rest of his unit. 2/21 Battalion, which formed the bulk of the ill-fated ‘Gull Force’, was to assist Dutch forces in defending the island against Japanese invasion, which took place on the night of 30-31 January 1942. Under-equipped and without air support, Gull Force was overwhelmed within three days of the landing. The officer commanding the transport section, which had been ordered to defend ‘Cemetery Hill’, near the village of Koedamiti, was VX34426 Lieutenant Denis Washington Smith. Smith recalled of Doolan’s death that; ‘On Sunday Feb. 1st. at 0400 hours. I sent a small reconaissance Patrol under Pl. Sgt. J. O’Brien (VX31884 Sergeant John Hellan O’Brien) towards the enemy lines. All patrols during this action were composed of volunteers, and on this occasion Doolan was one of the volunteers. It was essential that the patrol, or some of its members return with the information required. O’Brien returned at about 0700 hours. gave me the information, and advised that Doolan had elected to remain behind, to ensure the successful withdrawal of the party. I could hear the S.A.A. & M.G. fire which ensued during Doolans engagement of the enemy, but could not see anything. The firing took place before O’Brien actually returned to my position. Some days later, when the action was over, and the surrender took effect, I observed Doolan’s body near a tree, at the side of the road, in the Village of Koedamati. His body was riddled with bullets, and his head practically severed by what appeared to be bursts of M.G. fire at short range. Permission was granted by the Japanese for a party of my men to bury Doolan. This was done on the following day. Chaplain Patmore was also present. He was buried where he fell. The grave was marked. Later, in the Ten Toey prison camp, some of my men made a cross with great care and inscribed it… permission was obtained from the Japanese to erect the cross over his grave.’ In 1946, Doolan’s body was recovered for reburial in the Commonwealth War Cemetery constructed on the site of the Tan Toei POW camp, and it was discovered that the Ambonese had carefully tended his grave throughout the war, and regarded him as a great hero. It was also reported that the tale of Bill Doolan’s gallantry and self sacrifice had become the subject of a song sung by the locals.