Eric Stuart Dougall
Captain, Special Reserve attached to "A" Battery-- 88th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
- Register No.
- 339 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Captain (register: Acting Captain) all Captains →
- Unit
- Special Reserve attached to "A" Battery-- 88th Brigade Royal Field Artillery all Royal Field Artillery VCs →
- Date of action
- 10 April 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 4th June 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Born
- 13th April, 1886 at Tunbridge Wells, Kent
- Died
- 14th April, 1918 at Kemmel, Belgium. (killed in action)
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- Westoutre British Cemetery, Belgium
Digest of citation
On 10th April, 1918 at Messines, Belgium, Captain Dougall, on the withdrawal of our line, ran his gun's to the top of the ridge to fire over open sights. By now the infantry had been pressed back in line with the guns, so Captain Dougall supplied them with Lewis guns and armed some of his gunners with rifles. He managed to maintain the line throughout the day, thereby delaying the German advance for over 12 hours, and when his battery was at last ordered to withdraw, the guns were manhandled over half a mile of shell-cratered country under intense machine-gun fire
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
DOUGALL, Eric Stuart. (reg No. 339).
Captain. Special Reserve attached to "A" Battery-- 88th Brigade Royal Field Artillery.
London Gazetted on 4th June 1918.
Born on 13th April, 1886 at Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Died on 14th April, 1918 at Kemmel, Belgium. (killed in action).
Memorial at Westoutre British Cemetery, Belgium.
Digest of Citation reads: On 10th April, 1918 at Messines, Belgium, Captain Dougall, on the withdrawal of our line, ran his gun's to the top of the ridge to fire over open sights. By now the infantry had been pressed back in line with the guns, so Captain Dougall supplied them with Lewis guns and armed some of his gunners with rifles. He managed to maintain the line throughout the day, thereby delaying the German advance for over 12 hours, and when his battery was at last ordered to withdraw, the guns were manhandled over half a mile of shell-cratered country under intense machine-gun fire.
Additional information: Major Dougall also held the Military Cross. (MC). He was the only son of Andrew and Emily Dougall of 13th, Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells. His father was an Engineer with the Tunbridge Wells gas company. Educated at Tonbridge School and Pembroke College, Cambridge where he was an athletic a 'blue'. He became an assistant engineer to the Bombay Port Trust. Whilst in England he applied for a commission in the Royal Field Artillery. He served in the European war (WW 1) both in France and Flanders. In August 1917 he was gazetted for the award of the Military Cross for courage in the Battle of Messines. On 4th April 1918 he was promoted to major and saw continuous action in March and April 1918. He was killed four days after being recommended for the Victoria Cross. It was presented by King George V, to his sister Miss Dougall. Mr and Mrs Dougall, his parents, had been prevented, unavoidably, from attending the ceremony.
Additional information
Major Dougall also held the Military Cross. (MC). He was the only son of Andrew and Emily Dougall of 13th, Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells. His father was an Engineer with the Tunbridge Wells gas company. Educated at Tonbridge School and Pembroke College, Cambridge where he was an athletic a 'blue'. He became an assistant engineer to the Bombay Port Trust. Whilst in England he applied for a commission in the Royal Field Artillery. He served in the European war (WW 1) both in France and Flanders. In August 1917 he was gazetted for the award of the Military Cross for courage in the Battle of Messines. On 4th April 1918 he was promoted to major and saw continuous action in March and April 1918. He was killed four days after being recommended for the Victoria Cross. It was presented by King George V, to his sister Miss Dougall. Mr and Mrs Dougall, his parents, had been prevented, unavoidably, from attending the ceremony.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Westoutre British Cemetery, Belgium
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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