Ivan Dougherty
Encyclopedia
Major General
Sir Ivan Noel Dougherty CBE
, DSO
& Bar
, ED
(6 April 1907 – 4 March 1998) was an Australian Army
officer during World War II
.
, a small town between Dunedoo and Coolah, New South Wales
, the son of Isabella Dougherty and a father he never knew. He was educated at Mudgee High School
and Sydney Teachers College
. In 1928 he became a teacher at Marrickville
Junior Technical School (now Marrickville Public School). While teaching by day he completed a four-year Bachelor of Economics degree at the University of Sydney
. He transferred to Tingha
Public School in 1931 and then to Armidale West Public School
.
In 1926, while still at Sydney Teachers' College, Dougherty joined the Sydney University Regiment
, in which he was commissioned as a lieutenant
on 27 July 1927. He was promoted to captain on 11 September 1931 but was moved to the unattached list in 1932 following his posting to Tingha. His posting to Armidale allowed him to resume his part-time military career, and he joined the 33rd/41st Infantry Battalion on 20 December 1934, and then the 33rd Infantry Battalion when it resumed its separate existence on 1 October 1936. He was promoted to major
on 14 February 1938, assumed command of the 33rd Infantry battalion on 1 December 1938, and was promoted lieutenant colonel
on 28 August 1939.
Dougherty returned to Leadville at least once a year to visit his mother. On a visit in 1935, he met Phyllis Lofts, a fellow school teacher who taught at Coonamble
High School. They were married at St Stephen's Presbyterian Church in Sydney. This cut short Phyllis's teaching career for the time being, as married women were not permitted to work as teachers at that time. During the Second World War this regulation would be relaxed and she was able to take a position at Goulburn
High School. They would eventually have five children: Margaret and Graeme, born before the war, and, later, Maureen, David and Noela.
, Dougherty offered his services to Lieutenant Colonel George Wootten
, commander-designate of the 2/2nd Infantry Battalion
, as his second-on-command even though this involved a reduction in rank to major. This was accepted and Dougherty joined the Second AIF on 13 October 1939, receiving the AIF serial number of NX148. He was however allowed to retain his substantive rank of lieutenant colonel as an honorary rank, and therefore wear his lieutenant colonel's rank badges. Dougherty embarked from Sydney on 10 January 1940 on the SS Otranto. The ship sailed through the Suez Canal
and the battalion moved by rail to an encampment at Julis, a town in the British Mandate of Palestine about 26 km north east of Gaza
.
On 19 August 1940 Dougherty was appointed to command the 2/4th Infantry Battalion
, with the substantive AIF rank of lieutenant colonel. This was still a New South Wales battalion of the 6th Division but part of the newly formed 19th Infantry Brigade. Dougherty received a cool reception from his new commander, Brigadier Horace Robertson
, who was disappointed at being unable to select his own battalion commanders. However Dougherty soon made a good impression and when Robertson went on leave in October 1940 he recommended that Dougherty act as brigade commander, despite the fact that he was the youngest and most junior of Robertson's battalion commanders. Dougherty also encountered some resentment from regular officers like Lieutenant Colonel Henry Wells
. Although he had been commissioned seven years before Dougherty, Wells was now his junior owing to the slower rate of promotion in the regular Army.
in November 1940 to participate in General Sir Archibald Wavell
's Operation Compass
. The 2/4th Infantry Battalion moved into positions around Tobruk
, from which it participated in the assault on the Tobruk fortress. In the featureless desert, Dougherty was confronted with some difficulty in locating the start line for the advance, and made a series of adjustments to the battalion position. Later he felt compelled to explain his actions to his troops, explaining that he did not wish them to take any casualties due to carelessness on his part. Commanding from a Bren Gun Carrier
, which he used to tool about the battlefield, Dougherty made good progress, capturing the Italian commander, Generale di Corpo d'Armata Petassi Manella. Once on his objective, Robertson had ordered Dougherty to capture Fort Airente, if feasible, thereby cutting the road to Derna, but left the final decision to Dougherty. Dougherty elected not to as he could not call for artillery since his radio was out of action, and he had to guard 1,600 Italian prisoners. Fort Airente was captured when the advance resumed in the morning, and Tobruk surrendered to Robertson.
At Derna, Robertson employed his brigade boldly in support of Lieutenant General
Richard O'Connor
's attempt to cut off the retreating Italian Army. Dougherty was ordered to seize Wadi Derna, a ravine 500 metres wide. His lead company reached the wadi and a platoon crossed it, establishing itself on the far side after a fight in which an Australian was killed and nine Italians captured. This small force was counter-attacked by the Italians but the Australians held their ground. Later a group of Italians blundered into the Australian position; 40 were killed and 56 captured. Dougherty now moved to join the attack on Derna, unaware that O'Connor had called it off. His troops soon ran into a large Italian force which was beaten off only with the help of fire from the Vickers machine gun
s of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
and 25 pounder
s of the 2/1st Field Regiment. Dougherty had trucks drive to and fro to give the impression that the position was being reinforced. Fighting went on for another day before the Italians withdrew, having avoided encirclement. However O'Connor was later able to cut off the Italian Army at Beda Fomm
. For his services in this campaign, Dougherty was mentioned in dispatches
and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
.
on 3 April 1940 and moved into the line in the Kleidi area where the 19th Infantry Brigade (now under Brigadier George Alan Vasey) attempted to make a stand against the advancing German Army. Dougherty was given some six km of front to defend - a nearly impossible task. At the Battle of Vevi, the battalion was forced to withdraw after the units on both its flanks were forced back. The 19th Infantry Brigade next attempted to hold Thermopylae
. A successful rearguard action covered the general withdrawal from Greece. The 19th Infantry Brigade made its way to Megara
where the 2/4th Infantry Battalion was evacuated by .
The 2/4th Infantry Battalion arrived on Crete
where it was detached from the 19th Infantry Brigade and sent to help British and Greek units defend Heraklion
. Dougherty managed to hold his positions against the German airborne assault
, destroying a considerable part of the German force and capturing a considerable quantity of weapons and supplies. The Germans gradually tightened their grip on the area, however, and it was decided to evacuate the troops at Heraklion from Crete. Dougherty waited until all his men were embarked on British warships before himself departing on . and were attacked by large numbers of Stukas
and 48 of Dougherty's men were killed. For his services in Greece and Crete, Dougherty was mentioned in dispatches
a second time.
Dougherty arrived back in Palestine after the campaign in Greece to find no mail awaiting him. His mail had been stopped on the order of Major General Iven Mackay
who wanted to personally break the sad news to Dougherty that his daughter Margaret had been killed in a playground accident in Mosman, New South Wales
. After its battering in Greece, the 2/4th Infantry Battalion rested and re-trained in Palestine before moving to Syria in October 1941. In January 1942 it embarked for Australia.
Dougherty was informed that he was being promoted to brigadier and given command of the 23rd Infantry Brigade, a part of Major General Edmund Herring
's Northern Territory Force
. Dougherty was unimpressed with the standard of morale and training of his new command and within weeks he relieved all three of his battalion commanders.
In October 1942, Herring summoned Dougherty to Port Moresby
to take over command of the 21st Infantry Brigade from Brigadier Arnold Potts
. After making an appreciation of the Gona area, Dougherty decided to bring overwhelming force against small Japanese forces, defeating the enemy in detail. Several days of bitter and costly fighting followed as the 21st Infantry Brigade fought for Gona and the nearby Japanese positions.
In the process, the 21st Infantry Brigade was almost annihilated by casualties and disease. Dougherty suffered an attack of malaria
and arranged to be admitted to hospital in Goulburn, New South Wales
in order to be near his family. For this campaign, Dougherty was awarded a bar to his Distinguished Service Order.
The 21st Infantry Brigade gradually reassembled at Ravenshoe, Queensland
as its personnel returned from leave and hospital. Dougherty rebuilt his brigade, once again ruthlessly weeding out officers who did not meet his standards, including two of his battalion commanders.
In July 1943 the 21st Infantry Brigade began moving north once more. Following the capture of Kaiapit
, the brigade was flown in. Dougherty then carried out a rapid advance into the Ramu Valley culminating in the capture of Dumpu. Dougherty then moved into the Finisterre Range
, establishing a toehold on Shaggy Ridge
. By utilising speed and surprise to keep the enemy off balance, Dougherty had managed to accomplish the 7th Division's mission.
A broken ankle caused Dougherty to be hospitalised at the 2/5th General Hospital in Port Moresby. He rejoined his brigade in early 1944, but only in time for its relief and return to Australia. For this campaign, Dougherty earned a third mention in dispatches.
was contemplated for the brigade's next operation, Dougherty joined the invasion of Morotai
, sailing on HMAS Kanimbla
. Lessons were incorporated into the 7th Division's exercises on the beaches near Cairns, Queensland
over the following months. When the 7th Division sailed north again, it was to Morotai.
Dougherty's final battle of the war was at Balikpapan
, where the 21st Infantry Brigade landed on 1 July 1945. The Japanese were totally outnumbered and out gunned, but like the other battles of the Pacific War, many of them fought to the death. Despite this, the 7th Division's casualties were significantly lighter than they had suffered in previous campaigns, mainly due to the employment of staggering amounts of fire power
. General Douglas MacArthur
paid Dougherty a visit on the beachhead while it was still under fire.
Following the surrender of Japan
the 21st Brigade was detached to Makassar
where Dougherty became Military Governor, a role he had already carried out in Benghazi
with the 2/4th Infantry Battalion. Dougherty accepted surrender of the outlying Japanese forces, handled the processing of Japanese POWs and the release of Allied POWs and internees, organised the distribution of food and medical supplies to the civilian population and maintained civil order.
In recognition of "gallant and distinguished services in the South West Pacific", Dougherty was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1947.
as a Liberal
candidate in the 1946 election
. The seat was a blue ribbon
Labor
seat held by Eddie Ward
, and Dougherty lost.
Dougherty returned to teaching, accepting a post as headmaster of Enmore
Activity School in 1946. In 1948, he became Inspector of Schools in the Bega
District. He left the New South Wales Education Department in 1955 to become the first Director of the New South Wales Defence Organisation and State Emergency Services
, a position he held until retirement in 1972. He was knighted on 7 June 1968 for "services to ex-servicemen and the community".
Dougherty remained in the Army as a reservist. He assumed command of the 8th Infantry Brigade in 1948. He was promoted to major general
in 1952 on taking command of the 2nd Division. In 1954, he became the CMF
member of the Military Board, which he held until his retirement from the Army in 1957. Dougherty again clashed with Sir Henry Wells, now Chief of the General Staff. Dougherty felt that he should be Chairman of the Military Board when Wells was absent, being the next most senior member. Wells denounced "the impertinence of a part-time soldier wanting to be the chairman of a board of regular soldiers!" Dougherty replied, "No we are all the same, we are all soldiers." In 1960, the Minister for the Army
, John Cramer, attempted to appoint Dougherty as Chief of the General Staff in succession to Lieutenant General Sir Ragnar Garrett
. The proposal got as far as cabinet, where it was defeated.
Dougherty was a fellow of the Senate of the University of Sydney
from 1954 to 1974, and served as Deputy Chancellor
from 1958 to 1966. The University awarded him an honorary degree
of Doctor of Laws in 1976. It also named the Ivan Dougherty Gallery in his honour. As a result, his name is today widely associated with fine art.
After a long illness, Dougherty died on 4 March 1998, survived by Lady Phyllis and his four remaining children. More than 500 people, including an estimated 200 men who had served under him in World War II, gathered at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
to pay tribute to him. He was cremated at Sutherland
Cemetery.
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
Sir Ivan Noel Dougherty CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, ED
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
(6 April 1907 – 4 March 1998) was an Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
officer during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Education and early life
Ivan Noel Dougherty was born on 6 April 1907 in Leadville, New South WalesLeadville, New South Wales
Leadville is a town in New South Wales, Australia. The town is located in the Warrumbungle Shire local government area, north west of the state capital, Sydney. At the 2006 census, Leadville and the surrounding area had a population of 186.-References:...
, a small town between Dunedoo and Coolah, New South Wales
Coolah, New South Wales
Coolah is a town in the central northern part of New South Wales, Australia in Warrumbungle Shire. At the 2006 census, Coolah had a population of 798....
, the son of Isabella Dougherty and a father he never knew. He was educated at Mudgee High School
Mudgee High School
Mudgee High School is a New South Wales government high school in Douro Street Mudgee and caters for year 7 to year 12. They pride themselves on providing high quality education in a stimulating and caring environment. The current headmistress of the school is Mrs Louise Manwaring. Deputy...
and Sydney Teachers College
Sydney Teachers College
The Sydney Teachers College was a tertiary education institution that trained school teachers in Sydney, Australia. It existed from 1906 until 1981, when it became a part of the Sydney Institute of Education which in turn joined the Faculty of Education at the University of Sydney in...
. In 1928 he became a teacher at Marrickville
Marrickville, New South Wales
Marrickville, a suburb of Sydney's Inner West is located 7 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the state of New South Wales, Australia and is the largest suburb in the Marrickville Council local government area...
Junior Technical School (now Marrickville Public School). While teaching by day he completed a four-year Bachelor of Economics degree at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. He transferred to Tingha
Tingha, New South Wales
Tingha is a small town on the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia in Guyra Shire. It is 30 kilometres south of Inverell and 629 kilometres north-north-east of Sydney. Tingha is an Aboriginal word for ‘flat or level'.-History:...
Public School in 1931 and then to Armidale West Public School
Armidale, New South Wales
Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale Dumaresq Shire had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region...
.
In 1926, while still at Sydney Teachers' College, Dougherty joined the Sydney University Regiment
Sydney University Regiment
Sydney University Regiment is an officer training regiment of the Australian Army Reserve. It can trace its lineage back to 1900 when the University Volunteer Rifle Corps was raised as a unit of the colonial New South Wales Defence Force. Over time this unit has undergone a number of name and role...
, in which he was commissioned as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on 27 July 1927. He was promoted to captain on 11 September 1931 but was moved to the unattached list in 1932 following his posting to Tingha. His posting to Armidale allowed him to resume his part-time military career, and he joined the 33rd/41st Infantry Battalion on 20 December 1934, and then the 33rd Infantry Battalion when it resumed its separate existence on 1 October 1936. He was promoted to major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
on 14 February 1938, assumed command of the 33rd Infantry battalion on 1 December 1938, and was promoted lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
on 28 August 1939.
Dougherty returned to Leadville at least once a year to visit his mother. On a visit in 1935, he met Phyllis Lofts, a fellow school teacher who taught at Coonamble
Coonamble, New South Wales
Coonamble is a town on the central-western plains of New South Wales, Australia. It lies on the Castlereagh Highway north-west of Gilgandra. At the 2006 census, Coonamble had a population of 2,549...
High School. They were married at St Stephen's Presbyterian Church in Sydney. This cut short Phyllis's teaching career for the time being, as married women were not permitted to work as teachers at that time. During the Second World War this regulation would be relaxed and she was able to take a position at Goulburn
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
High School. They would eventually have five children: Margaret and Graeme, born before the war, and, later, Maureen, David and Noela.
Second World War
On the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Dougherty offered his services to Lieutenant Colonel George Wootten
George Wootten
Major General Sir George Frederick Wootten KBE, CB, DSO & Bar, ED , was an Australian soldier, public servant, right wing political activist and solicitor. He rose to the rank of temporary Major General during World War II....
, commander-designate of the 2/2nd Infantry Battalion
2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion
The 2/2nd Battalion was raised at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, on 24 October 1939 as part of the 16th Brigade of the 6th Australian Division. It relocated to the newly-opened Ingleburn Camp on 2 November and, after conducting basic training there, sailed for overseas service on 10 January 1940...
, as his second-on-command even though this involved a reduction in rank to major. This was accepted and Dougherty joined the Second AIF on 13 October 1939, receiving the AIF serial number of NX148. He was however allowed to retain his substantive rank of lieutenant colonel as an honorary rank, and therefore wear his lieutenant colonel's rank badges. Dougherty embarked from Sydney on 10 January 1940 on the SS Otranto. The ship sailed through the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
and the battalion moved by rail to an encampment at Julis, a town in the British Mandate of Palestine about 26 km north east of Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
.
On 19 August 1940 Dougherty was appointed to command the 2/4th Infantry Battalion
2/4th Australian Infantry Battalion
The 2/4th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised on 3 November 1939 at Victoria Barracks, Sydney, New South Wales for service during World War II as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force, the battalion was initially attached to the 16th Brigade, 6th Division...
, with the substantive AIF rank of lieutenant colonel. This was still a New South Wales battalion of the 6th Division but part of the newly formed 19th Infantry Brigade. Dougherty received a cool reception from his new commander, Brigadier Horace Robertson
Horace Robertson
Lieutenant General Sir Horace Clement Hugh Robertson KBE, DSO was a senior officer in the Australian Army who served in the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War...
, who was disappointed at being unable to select his own battalion commanders. However Dougherty soon made a good impression and when Robertson went on leave in October 1940 he recommended that Dougherty act as brigade commander, despite the fact that he was the youngest and most junior of Robertson's battalion commanders. Dougherty also encountered some resentment from regular officers like Lieutenant Colonel Henry Wells
Henry Wells (general)
Lieutenant General Sir Henry Wells KBE, CB, DSO was a senior officer in the Australian Army. Serving as Chief of the General Staff from 1954 to 1958, Wells' career culminated with his appointment as the first Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, a position marking him as the professional head of...
. Although he had been commissioned seven years before Dougherty, Wells was now his junior owing to the slower rate of promotion in the regular Army.
Libya
The 19th Infantry Brigade moved to Borg El ArabBorg El Arab
Borg El Arab is an industrial city and resort in Alexandria, Egypt.-Overview:It is located about 45 kilometers south-west Alexandria city centre and some seven kilometers from the Mediterranean coast. North of the Borg El Arab city is King Mayriott resort and Mayriott Lake. The city has an...
in November 1940 to participate in General Sir Archibald Wavell
Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during the Second World War. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only to be defeated by the German army...
's Operation Compass
Operation Compass
Operation Compass was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. British and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces in western Egypt and eastern Libya in December 1940 to February 1941. The attack was a complete success...
. The 2/4th Infantry Battalion moved into positions around Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
, from which it participated in the assault on the Tobruk fortress. In the featureless desert, Dougherty was confronted with some difficulty in locating the start line for the advance, and made a series of adjustments to the battalion position. Later he felt compelled to explain his actions to his troops, explaining that he did not wish them to take any casualties due to carelessness on his part. Commanding from a Bren Gun Carrier
Universal Carrier
The Universal Carrier, also known as the Bren Gun Carrier is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrong. Produced between 1934 and 1960, the vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War...
, which he used to tool about the battlefield, Dougherty made good progress, capturing the Italian commander, Generale di Corpo d'Armata Petassi Manella. Once on his objective, Robertson had ordered Dougherty to capture Fort Airente, if feasible, thereby cutting the road to Derna, but left the final decision to Dougherty. Dougherty elected not to as he could not call for artillery since his radio was out of action, and he had to guard 1,600 Italian prisoners. Fort Airente was captured when the advance resumed in the morning, and Tobruk surrendered to Robertson.
At Derna, Robertson employed his brigade boldly in support of Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Richard O'Connor
Richard O'Connor
General Sir Richard Nugent O'Connor KT, GCB, DSO & Bar, MC, ADC was a British Army general who commanded the Western Desert Force in the early years of World War II...
's attempt to cut off the retreating Italian Army. Dougherty was ordered to seize Wadi Derna, a ravine 500 metres wide. His lead company reached the wadi and a platoon crossed it, establishing itself on the far side after a fight in which an Australian was killed and nine Italians captured. This small force was counter-attacked by the Italians but the Australians held their ground. Later a group of Italians blundered into the Australian position; 40 were killed and 56 captured. Dougherty now moved to join the attack on Derna, unaware that O'Connor had called it off. His troops soon ran into a large Italian force which was beaten off only with the help of fire from the Vickers machine gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
s of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Originally raised in 1674, the regiment was amalgamated with three other fusilier regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.-Origins:...
and 25 pounder
Ordnance QF 25 pounder
The Ordnance QF 25 pounder, or more simply, 25-pounder or 25-pdr, was introduced into service just before World War II, during which it served as the major British field gun/howitzer. It was considered by many to be the best field artillery piece of the war, combining high rates of fire with a...
s of the 2/1st Field Regiment. Dougherty had trucks drive to and fro to give the impression that the position was being reinforced. Fighting went on for another day before the Italians withdrew, having avoided encirclement. However O'Connor was later able to cut off the Italian Army at Beda Fomm
Beda Fomm
Beda Fomm is a small coastal town in southwestern Cyrenaica, Libya located between the much larger port city Benghazi to its north and the larger town of El Agheila further to the southwest...
. For his services in this campaign, Dougherty was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
.
Greece, Crete and Syria
The 2/4th Infantry Battalion landed at PiraeusPiraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
on 3 April 1940 and moved into the line in the Kleidi area where the 19th Infantry Brigade (now under Brigadier George Alan Vasey) attempted to make a stand against the advancing German Army. Dougherty was given some six km of front to defend - a nearly impossible task. At the Battle of Vevi, the battalion was forced to withdraw after the units on both its flanks were forced back. The 19th Infantry Brigade next attempted to hold Thermopylae
Battle of Thermopylae (1941)
The Battle of Thermopylae during World War II occurred in 1941 following the retreat from the Olympus and Servia passes. British Commonwealth forces began to set up defensive position at the pass at Thermopylae, famous for the Battle of Thermopylae in 480BC, when 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians...
. A successful rearguard action covered the general withdrawal from Greece. The 19th Infantry Brigade made its way to Megara
Megara
Megara is an ancient city in Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken by Athens. Megara was one of the four districts of Attica, embodied in the four mythic sons of King...
where the 2/4th Infantry Battalion was evacuated by .
The 2/4th Infantry Battalion arrived on Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
where it was detached from the 19th Infantry Brigade and sent to help British and Greek units defend Heraklion
Heraklion
Heraklion, or Heraclion is the largest city and the administrative capital of the island of Crete, Greece. It is the 4th largest city in Greece....
. Dougherty managed to hold his positions against the German airborne assault
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
, destroying a considerable part of the German force and capturing a considerable quantity of weapons and supplies. The Germans gradually tightened their grip on the area, however, and it was decided to evacuate the troops at Heraklion from Crete. Dougherty waited until all his men were embarked on British warships before himself departing on . and were attacked by large numbers of Stukas
Junkers Ju 87
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka was a two-man German ground-attack aircraft...
and 48 of Dougherty's men were killed. For his services in Greece and Crete, Dougherty was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
a second time.
Dougherty arrived back in Palestine after the campaign in Greece to find no mail awaiting him. His mail had been stopped on the order of Major General Iven Mackay
Iven Giffard Mackay
Lieutenant General Sir Iven Giffard Mackay KBE, CMG, DSO & Bar, VD was a senior Australian soldier who served in both World Wars. A graduate of the University of Sydney, Mackay taught physics there from 1910 until 1914, when he joined the Australian Imperial Force...
who wanted to personally break the sad news to Dougherty that his daughter Margaret had been killed in a playground accident in Mosman, New South Wales
Mosman, New South Wales
Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Mosman.-Localities:In February...
. After its battering in Greece, the 2/4th Infantry Battalion rested and re-trained in Palestine before moving to Syria in October 1941. In January 1942 it embarked for Australia.
Northern Territory
On arrival in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
Dougherty was informed that he was being promoted to brigadier and given command of the 23rd Infantry Brigade, a part of Major General Edmund Herring
Edmund Herring
Lieutenant General Sir Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, KStJ, ED, QC was an Australian Army officer during the Second World War, Lieutenant Governor of Victoria, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.A Rhodes scholar, Herring was at New College, Oxford, when the First World...
's Northern Territory Force
Northern Territory Force
Northern Territory Force was an Australian Army force responsible for protecting the Northern Territory during World War II. Most units assigned to the Northern Territory Force were based near Darwin and were responsible for defending the important naval and air bases in and around the town against...
. Dougherty was unimpressed with the standard of morale and training of his new command and within weeks he relieved all three of his battalion commanders.
Papua
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
to take over command of the 21st Infantry Brigade from Brigadier Arnold Potts
Arnold Potts
Brigadier Arnold William Potts DSO, OBE, MC was an Australian grazier who served in the First World War and led 21st Brigade of the Second AIF during its defence of the Kokoda Trail during the Second World War...
. After making an appreciation of the Gona area, Dougherty decided to bring overwhelming force against small Japanese forces, defeating the enemy in detail. Several days of bitter and costly fighting followed as the 21st Infantry Brigade fought for Gona and the nearby Japanese positions.
In the process, the 21st Infantry Brigade was almost annihilated by casualties and disease. Dougherty suffered an attack of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and arranged to be admitted to hospital in Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
in order to be near his family. For this campaign, Dougherty was awarded a bar to his Distinguished Service Order.
New Guinea
Ravenshoe, Queensland
Ravenshoe is a town on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is located south west of the regional centre, Cairns. At the 2006 census, Ravenshoe had a population of 910....
as its personnel returned from leave and hospital. Dougherty rebuilt his brigade, once again ruthlessly weeding out officers who did not meet his standards, including two of his battalion commanders.
In July 1943 the 21st Infantry Brigade began moving north once more. Following the capture of Kaiapit
Battle of Kaiapit
The Battle of Kaiapit was an action fought in 1943 between Australian and Japanese forces in New Guinea during the Finisterre Range campaign of World War II. Following the landing at Nadzab and landing at Lae, the Allies attempted to exploit their success with an advance into the upper Markham...
, the brigade was flown in. Dougherty then carried out a rapid advance into the Ramu Valley culminating in the capture of Dumpu. Dougherty then moved into the Finisterre Range
Finisterre Range campaign
The Finisterre Range campaign, also known as the Ramu Valley–Finisterre Range campaign, was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II...
, establishing a toehold on Shaggy Ridge
Shaggy Ridge
Shaggy Ridge is a 6.5 kilometre -long, razorback ridge in the Finisterre Range, in north eastern Papua New Guinea. Its highest point is 1,494 metres above sea level...
. By utilising speed and surprise to keep the enemy off balance, Dougherty had managed to accomplish the 7th Division's mission.
A broken ankle caused Dougherty to be hospitalised at the 2/5th General Hospital in Port Moresby. He rejoined his brigade in early 1944, but only in time for its relief and return to Australia. For this campaign, Dougherty earned a third mention in dispatches.
Borneo
Once again the 21st Infantry Brigade assembled at Ravenshoe after taking leave. As amphibious warfareAmphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
was contemplated for the brigade's next operation, Dougherty joined the invasion of Morotai
Battle of Morotai
The Battle of Morotai, part of the Pacific War, began on September 15, 1944, and continued until the war ended in August 1945. The fighting began when United States and Australian forces landed on the south-west corner of Morotai, a small island in the Netherlands East Indies , which the Allies...
, sailing on HMAS Kanimbla
HMAS Kanimbla (1936)
HMAS Kanimbla was a passenger ship converted for use as an armed merchant cruiser and landing ship infantry during World War II. Built during the mid-1930s as the passenger liner MV Kanimbla for McIlwraith McEachern Limited, the ship operated in Australian waters until 1939, when she was...
. Lessons were incorporated into the 7th Division's exercises on the beaches near Cairns, Queensland
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
over the following months. When the 7th Division sailed north again, it was to Morotai.
Dougherty's final battle of the war was at Balikpapan
Battle of Balikpapan (1945)
The Battle of Balikpapan was the concluding stage of the Borneo campaign . The landings took place on 1 July 1945. The Australian 7th Division, composed of the 18th, 21st and 25th Infantry Brigades, with support troops, made an amphibious landing, codenamed Operation Oboe Two a few miles north of...
, where the 21st Infantry Brigade landed on 1 July 1945. The Japanese were totally outnumbered and out gunned, but like the other battles of the Pacific War, many of them fought to the death. Despite this, the 7th Division's casualties were significantly lighter than they had suffered in previous campaigns, mainly due to the employment of staggering amounts of fire power
Fire power
Firepower is the military capability to direct force at an enemy. It is not to be confused with the concept of rate of fire, which describes cycling of the firing mechanism in a weapon system. It involves the whole range of potential weapons...
. General Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
paid Dougherty a visit on the beachhead while it was still under fire.
Following the surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
the 21st Brigade was detached to Makassar
Makassar
Makassar, is the provincial capital of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and the largest city on Sulawesi Island. From 1971 to 1999, the city was named Ujung Pandang, after a precolonial fort in the city, and the two names are often used interchangeably...
where Dougherty became Military Governor, a role he had already carried out in Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
with the 2/4th Infantry Battalion. Dougherty accepted surrender of the outlying Japanese forces, handled the processing of Japanese POWs and the release of Allied POWs and internees, organised the distribution of food and medical supplies to the civilian population and maintained civil order.
In recognition of "gallant and distinguished services in the South West Pacific", Dougherty was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1947.
Later life
Returning to civilian life, Dougherty contested the seat of East SydneyDivision of East Sydney
The Division of East Sydney was anAustralian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It was abolished in 1969. It was named for the suburb of East Sydney. It was located in the inner...
as a Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
candidate in the 1946 election
Australian federal election, 1946
Federal elections were held in Australia on 28 September 1946. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
. The seat was a blue ribbon
Blue ribbon
The blue ribbon is a term used to describe or symbolize something of high quality. The usage came from The Blue Riband, a prize awarded for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by passenger liners—and prior to that from Cordon Bleu which referred to the blue ribbon worn by a particular order...
Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
seat held by Eddie Ward
Eddie Ward
Edward John "Eddie" Ward , Australian politician, was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives for 32 years from 1931 until his death....
, and Dougherty lost.
Dougherty returned to teaching, accepting a post as headmaster of Enmore
Enmore, New South Wales
Enmore is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Enmore is located 5 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Marrickville Council.-History:...
Activity School in 1946. In 1948, he became Inspector of Schools in the Bega
Bega, New South Wales
Bega is a town in the south-east of New South Wales, Australia in the Bega Valley Shire. It is the economic centre for the Bega Valley.-Place name:One claim is that place name Bega is derived from the local Aboriginal word meaning "big camping ground"....
District. He left the New South Wales Education Department in 1955 to become the first Director of the New South Wales Defence Organisation and State Emergency Services
New South Wales State Emergency Service
The New South Wales State Emergency Service is an emergency and rescue service dedicated to assisting the community. It is made up almost entirely of volunteers, with 228 units located throughout New South Wales. The units are composed of some 10,000 volunteer members, who are easily identified by...
, a position he held until retirement in 1972. He was knighted on 7 June 1968 for "services to ex-servicemen and the community".
Dougherty remained in the Army as a reservist. He assumed command of the 8th Infantry Brigade in 1948. He was promoted to major general
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
in 1952 on taking command of the 2nd Division. In 1954, he became the CMF
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
member of the Military Board, which he held until his retirement from the Army in 1957. Dougherty again clashed with Sir Henry Wells, now Chief of the General Staff. Dougherty felt that he should be Chairman of the Military Board when Wells was absent, being the next most senior member. Wells denounced "the impertinence of a part-time soldier wanting to be the chairman of a board of regular soldiers!" Dougherty replied, "No we are all the same, we are all soldiers." In 1960, the Minister for the Army
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
, John Cramer, attempted to appoint Dougherty as Chief of the General Staff in succession to Lieutenant General Sir Ragnar Garrett
Ragnar Garrett
Lieutenant General Sir Alwyn Ragnar Garrett KBE, CB was a senior officer in the Australian Army who served as Chief of the General Staff .-Military career:...
. The proposal got as far as cabinet, where it was defeated.
Dougherty was a fellow of the Senate of the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
from 1954 to 1974, and served as Deputy Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
from 1958 to 1966. The University awarded him an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
of Doctor of Laws in 1976. It also named the Ivan Dougherty Gallery in his honour. As a result, his name is today widely associated with fine art.
After a long illness, Dougherty died on 4 March 1998, survived by Lady Phyllis and his four remaining children. More than 500 people, including an estimated 200 men who had served under him in World War II, gathered at St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney
St Andrew's Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney in the Anglican Church of Australia. The cathedral is the seat of the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of New South Wales, the Most Reverend Peter Jensen...
to pay tribute to him. He was cremated at Sutherland
Sutherland, New South Wales
Sutherland is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sutherland is located 26 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Sutherland Shire....
Cemetery.