Dooley, R (Robert)
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Corporal Robert Dooley was the son of Robert and Annie Dooley, of 2, Wells St. Terrace, Londonderry. His father Robert had fought in the Second Boer War and the Battle of Ladysmith. Robert served with the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Robert arrived with the 2nd Battalion in France on the 23rd of August 1914 and went straight to Bertry[1] where they de-trained on the 25th (early in the morning). Within 14 hours they were involved in small skirmishes with the Germans, and so began their war and a fighting retreat.
The battalion moved positions many times and saw no real action or heavy casualties until the 1st of September at Verberie[2] and then on the 7th at Villiers.[3] September would see their casualty list slowly growing daily, but they were soon gaining the upper hand and crossed the river Aisne on pontoons on the 13th while pursuing the Germans who were retreating. That night they continued up a narrow plateau towards the Germans under cover of fog. When the sun appeared, the fog cleared, and the Germans were waiting. The machine guns ripped through the attackers causing massive casualties.
At some point during the pursuit Corporal Dooley was shot in the neck, thigh, and ankle. He was then evacuated from the battlefield in an ambulance which was subsequently hit by a mortar shell. Robert and everyone in the ambulance miraculously survived this, although he received two extra wounds from shrapnel. He was later evacuated to the 4th Royal Scots Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland and succumbed to his wounds on the 23rd with his father sitting by his side.
Robert was returned home, and he was accorded a full military funeral during Friday, 25th September 1914 from his fathers’ home. He was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War and Victory Medals.
Date of Death: 23/09/1914 (Aged 22)
Service: Corporal, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion.
Service Number: 10248
Burial Location: Londonderry (or Derry), City Cemetery, MD. 558.
[1] Bertry is an area in northern France.
[2] 1st of September at Verberie they suffered 1 dead, 26 wounded, 25 missing.
[3] 7th of September at Villiers they suffered 2 dead, 20 wounded, 6 missing.
