Stanley Robert McDougall, (23 July 1889 – 7 July 1968) was an Australian recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest award given to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

forces for gallantry in the face of the enemy.

Early life

The son of the sawmiller John Henry McDougall (1854–1910), and Susannah Ann McDougall (1856–1919), née Cate, McDougall was born on 23 July 1889 at

Recherche Bay Recherche Bay ( ) is an oceanic embayment, part of which is listed on the Australian National Heritage List, National Heritage Register, located on the extreme south-eastern corner of Tasmania, Australia. It was a landing place of the Bruni d'En ...

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

, where he was raised and educated. In civilian life, he was an amateur boxer, and a blacksmith by trade, and was considered an excellent horseman, an expert marksman, and a competent bushman.

War service

Illness prevented him from enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force to fight in the First World War until 31 August 1915. He was 28 years old and a

sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

in the 47th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force when he performed the actions for which he was awarded the VC. On 28 March 1918 at

Dernancourt Dernancourt (; ) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Dernancourt is situated on the D52 road, some northeast of Amiens. Population Places and monuments The commune was considerably affecte ...

, France, when an enemy attack succeeded in securing a foothold in the Allied line, McDougall charged the second wave single-handedly, killing seven men and capturing a machine-gun, which he turned on the attackers, routing them and causing many casualties. He continued his attack until his ammunition ran out, when he seized a bayonet and charged again, killing three men and an officer. Then, using a Lewis gun, he killed many more of the enemy and made it possible for 33 prisoners to be taken. His prompt action saved the line and halted the enemy's advance. The fighting ground where this took place was the location where his younger brother Wallace had been killed some nine months earlier. Eight days later he repelled another enemy attack at the same spot, for which he was awarded the

Military Medal The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the British Armed Forces, armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, below commissioned o ...

Later life

On 19 August 1918, he was invested with the Victoria Cross at

Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a List of British royal residences, royal residence at Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, about west of central London. It is strongly associated with the Kingdom of England, English and succee ...

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...

. He returned to Australia and was discharged on 15 December 1918. McDougall subsequently worked for the Tasmanian Forestry Department and became an inspector in charge of forests in the north-western part of Tasmania. He returned to London in 1956 for the celebration marking 100 years since the establishment of the Victoria Cross. He died on 7 July 1968 at

Scottsdale, Tasmania Scottsdale is the largest town in north-east Tasmania, Australia, serving as the administrative and economic centre of the Dorset Council region. Located on the Tasman Highway, it connects Launceston to the east coast and acts as a key service ...

, and was survived by his wife Martha (née Anderson-Harrison), whom he had married in 1926; they had no children. He is buried at Norwood Crematorium,

Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...

. A street in Canberra is named after him. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the

Australian War Memorial The Australian War Memorial (AWM) is a national war memorial, war museum, museum and archive dedicated to all Australians who died as a result of war, including peacekeeping duties. The AWM is located in Campbell, Australian Capital Territory, C ...

. File:Stan McDougall VC A03692.jpg, A retouched portrait of Sergeant (Sgt) Stanley Robert McDougall VC MM

Footnotes

References

Forty-Five Australian Soldiers Have Won The Victoria Gross, ''The (Melbourne) Herald'', (Saturday, 24 August 1918), p.6.

''Tasmania's Heroes: Awards for Valour'', N.G. Davies, (Hobart), 1918
* J. G. Williams

''

Australian Dictionary of Biography The ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' (ADB or AuDB) is a national co-operative enterprise founded and maintained by the Australian National University (ANU) to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's ...

'', Volume 10, Melbourne University Press, 1986, p. 261.
World War I Service Record: Stanley Robert McDougall (4061)

World War I Service Record: Wallace Carlyle McDougall (682)

Australian War Memorial: Roll of Honour: Wallace Carlyle McDougall (682)
{{DEFAULTSORT:McDougall, Stanley Australian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Australian Army soldiers Australian people of Scottish descent 1889 births 1968 deaths Australian recipients of the Military Medal Military personnel from Hobart