Doug Morton, Coochiemudlo Pioneer, at War

By Jo Burgess Foley

World War I

Douglas Herbert Harrison Morton enlisted in the AIF on the 31st March 1915. He listed his trade as ‘farmer.’ He needed his mother’s permission to join up as he was only 18 years old. Private Morton joined the 9th Infantry Battalion, which was raised in Queensland, and was an ANZAC.

Doug was sent to Gallipoli, arriving on 4th August 1915. After 2 months on the 2nd October 1915 Doug was transferred to a hospital ship suffering from Pyrexia (or elevated body temperature – a fever,) and Diarrhoea. His condition must have been sufficiently bad as he was then transferred to a hospital in Malta, and then to Gibraltar. He eventually finished up in an Army hospital in Birmingham, UK on 6th December 1915.

Doug rejoined his Battalion in France on the 29th of July 1916. The battalion’s first major action in France was at Pozières in the Somme valley. The 9th Battalion attacked on the extreme right of the line and it was during this action that Private John Leak won, with the bayonet, the battalion’s only Victoria Cross. Later the battalion fought at Ypres, in Flanders, before returning to the Somme for winter. In 1917 the battalion moved back to Belgium for the advance to the Hindenburg Line, Doug was promoted to Lance Corporal on the 18th August 1916. On the 21st day of August 1916 Doug was ‘Wounded in Action’ with a gunshot wound to the head and right arm. The head wound was classified as ‘severe’. He was also suffering concussion. He was sent to the 3rd auxiliary hospital Boulogne.

Doug’s service records note that he was awarded the Military Medal on the 14th October 1916 for ‘Gallantry in the field.’ The Citation reads as follows:

Military Medal for 'Exceptional bravery and capability at Pozieres.'

Recommendation date: 7 September 1916

'At MOUQUET FARM, FRANCE, on 22nd August 1916 this N.C.O. was in charge of a party went out to raid a strong point in front of our lines in which the enemy were supposed to be in occupation. He carried out the work with exceptional coolness and capability and though the enemy was not in occupation he and his party were subjected to Machine Gun and Artillery fire as the operation was carried out at 4 pm. He not only made sure of the strong point but afterwards proceeded along the trench or what remained of it to MOUQUET FARM and discovered that this post was also unoccupied. The information obtained was of extreme value.'

Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 62

Date: 19 April 1917

Lance Corporal Morton arrived at the Military hospital in Dartford, England on the 13th of November 1916. After a 3 month period of recuperation in a military hospital, Doug embarked on the ‘Ulysses’ for Australia on the 13th of February 1917. He was still ‘suffering concussion from and an old fracture of the skull.’ Doug was used as a recruiting sergeant, for a few months, but was eventually discharged from the army on the 29th of September 1917 as medically unfit for duty. Doug was given a small military pension while recuperating.

Doug was obviously starting feel like his old self again; because on the 18th of March 1918 Doug was passed as fit to enlist by the principal medical officer. On the 7th day of November 1918 acting Sergeant Morton once more embarked for France on the ‘Carpentaria.’ Two Days before armistice and the end of the war.

Doug Morton leased land on Coochiemudlo Island in 1919. He had studied agriculture at Gatton College and was keen to start his own place. In 1923 Doug married Victoria Point early settler Daniel Colburn’s daughter (Beatrice) Mary; and they had their honeymoon on Coochie!

World War II

Captain Douglas Morton, once again felt he was called to serve his country and enlisted in Cleveland on the 11th April 1942. The locality of enlistment is noted down as Coochiemudlo Island, Queensland. Doug joined the 2/4 Infantry Battalion, a part of the 19th Brigade. Doug served in New Guinea. The 2/4 Battalion was disbanded at Chermside on the 12th November 1945.

During the Second World War, Coochiemudlo Island was home to the 42nd and 43rd Landing Craft Companies which trained on the Island from 1943 to 1944, serving with distinction in New Guinea and Bougainville in 1945. Many of the men of these companies who trained on Coochiemudlo Island (near where the present Golf Links now stand,) went on to become leaders in peacetime communities and businesses, for example, Sir Frank Packer, Sir Ninian Stephen and Sir Nigel Bowen.

He set up a five-acre farm near where the present Aminya Gardens now stand. He grew Custard Apple, Avocado and Pawpaw orchards, some of them still stand today. Doug built the Jetty at the ‘Red Rock’ end of the island, and with his wife Mary managed a small kiosk. Doug was also responsible for many island improvements. He would leave a sign that said: ‘Rob Roy was here!’ (Perhaps a tribute to his Scottish heritage.)

Doug Morton passed away on 23 May 1980, aged 83 years.