Pte
Douglas Faithful Price
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1894 |
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Place of birth: Orbost, Victoria, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Station Hand - Farm Hand |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 2456 |
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Enlistment date: 13/03/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 59th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 26/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Carlisle Farm, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 23 |
Cemetery
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Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: XVIII Row: C Grave: 9 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Private Douglas Faithful Price served in the Australian Infantry 59th Battalion, part of the 15th Brigade, of the 5th Australian Division, which fought in the Third Battle of Ypres, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele. On the 26th of September 1917 the 5th Division took part in the Battle of Polygon Wood, a stage of the Third Battle of Ypres.
Douglas Faithful Price of Orbost, Victoria, Australia was 22 at the time of his enlistment on 13 March 1916. He enlisted two months after his younger brother Arthur Thomas Price. His occupation was recorded as farmhand. Interestingly it is also recorded that Price had been previously rejected from service, the reason given being his teeth. Price's Unit embarked from Melbourne aboard the HMAT A9 Shropshire on 25th September 1916, reaching Plymouth on 11th November 1916.
According to the War Diary at 5:50 a.m. on 26 September 1917 the 59th Battalion attacked German positions in Polygon Wood, starting from Black Watch Corner. Their first objective line was captured quickly, however troops on their right flank had encountered heavy resistance and the 59th Battalion had to drop back slightly to the former racecourse. It was there that the vast majority of their casualties were suffered. Two battalions of the 8th Australian Infantry Brigade then reinforced their position and after 'stiff fighting' the second objective was largely taken and communication re-established with the 14th Australian Infantry on the left flank. In the meanwhile British troops of the 33rd Division had moved into the Australian Divisional area in Polygon Wood, seeking cover from machine-gunfire coming from Cameron House. The Australians and British then attacked south-east in co-operation further reinforcing the right flank.
Around 11a.m. the line was consolidated around the Jetty Wood pillboxes. From then till 5p.m. small counter-attacks were felt to their left side and at 5p.m. a larger counter-attack was staged on the right. There was 'a great deal of machine gun fire and sniping, and the shelling was very heavy.' Their position was also attacked by air from German aircraft who directed fire towards them from sometimes as close as 50 feet. The Battalion was eventually moved forward to create new strong points taking 4 or 5 captured German machineguns with them to the new positions. Another counter-attack later occurred to the right of the line and again they came under heavy shell fire but positions were largely maintained and it was soon reported that all had gone quiet.
Initially recorded as Wounded and Missing in Action, Price's status was confirmed as Killed in Action on 22 March 1918 following a Court of Enquiry. According to a source that claims to have known Price well it is stated that he was found in a trench with no large or visible wounds and it is assumed that he died from concussion. He is remembered in this account as being very popular within the Battalion, as being good-natured, good-tempered and brave. Private Price was buried in the field near Carlisle Farm, in the 33rd British Divisional area, just south of Polygon Wood. His remains were exhumed after the war and reinterred in Buttes New British Cemetery, Plot XVIII, Row C, Grave 9; and commemorated on panel 168 of the Australian War Memorial.
Douglas Faithful Price of Orbost, Victoria, Australia was 22 at the time of his enlistment on 13 March 1916. He enlisted two months after his younger brother Arthur Thomas Price. His occupation was recorded as farmhand. Interestingly it is also recorded that Price had been previously rejected from service, the reason given being his teeth. Price's Unit embarked from Melbourne aboard the HMAT A9 Shropshire on 25th September 1916, reaching Plymouth on 11th November 1916.
According to the War Diary at 5:50 a.m. on 26 September 1917 the 59th Battalion attacked German positions in Polygon Wood, starting from Black Watch Corner. Their first objective line was captured quickly, however troops on their right flank had encountered heavy resistance and the 59th Battalion had to drop back slightly to the former racecourse. It was there that the vast majority of their casualties were suffered. Two battalions of the 8th Australian Infantry Brigade then reinforced their position and after 'stiff fighting' the second objective was largely taken and communication re-established with the 14th Australian Infantry on the left flank. In the meanwhile British troops of the 33rd Division had moved into the Australian Divisional area in Polygon Wood, seeking cover from machine-gunfire coming from Cameron House. The Australians and British then attacked south-east in co-operation further reinforcing the right flank.
Around 11a.m. the line was consolidated around the Jetty Wood pillboxes. From then till 5p.m. small counter-attacks were felt to their left side and at 5p.m. a larger counter-attack was staged on the right. There was 'a great deal of machine gun fire and sniping, and the shelling was very heavy.' Their position was also attacked by air from German aircraft who directed fire towards them from sometimes as close as 50 feet. The Battalion was eventually moved forward to create new strong points taking 4 or 5 captured German machineguns with them to the new positions. Another counter-attack later occurred to the right of the line and again they came under heavy shell fire but positions were largely maintained and it was soon reported that all had gone quiet.
Initially recorded as Wounded and Missing in Action, Price's status was confirmed as Killed in Action on 22 March 1918 following a Court of Enquiry. According to a source that claims to have known Price well it is stated that he was found in a trench with no large or visible wounds and it is assumed that he died from concussion. He is remembered in this account as being very popular within the Battalion, as being good-natured, good-tempered and brave. Private Price was buried in the field near Carlisle Farm, in the 33rd British Divisional area, just south of Polygon Wood. His remains were exhumed after the war and reinterred in Buttes New British Cemetery, Plot XVIII, Row C, Grave 9; and commemorated on panel 168 of the Australian War Memorial.
Sources 6
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AIF-project https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/search Sources used |
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Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10255787 Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/480416/price,-douglas-faithful/ Sources used |
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National Archives of Australia https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SessionTimeout.aspx Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
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War Diary Australian Infantry 59th Bn. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338583 Sources used |