Group of WW1 Militaria from J. Claude Doggett 38487

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An interesting group of World War 1 Militaria relating to AIF soldier, Corporal J. Claude Doggett, serial number 38487. You view the service record of John Claude Doggett here. The group includes:

  1. Brown fibre ID disk marked 38487 DOGGETT JC 107H BTY AFA M
  2. Two collar ‘rising sun’ badges, one with retaining pin. One is marked Stokes and Sons, the other is not marked.
  3. A brass fob type compass with travel lock and intact crystal. No makers mark but is marked MADE IN FRANCE on dial and stamped with 29 under lid.
  4. A copy of The Education Department’s Record of War Service as published by the Victorian Education Department in 1919. The book is inscribed to J. Claude Doggett and presumably the copy presented to him. Doggett was a school teacher prior to enlisting in 1917.

Record of War Service Book

Inscription to Doggett

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Page 127 of the book includes an entry about Doggett, you can see that above. Of Doggett’s activities after the war we have been able to find out little. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Melbourne University in 1922. His service record includes a letter from him to the RSSILA (predecessor of the RSL) asking them if his British War Medal had been handed in after he’d lost it in ANZAC Day in 1938. Doggett mentions that he advertised it as lost in the Herald Sun but we have been unable to find record of that. There’s no correspondence in his record about the return of the medal. However the last page of his service record which details the medals awarded to him includes an entry dated 12 January 1943 which says ‘British War Medal In Store”. So perhaps the medal was handed in but never returned to Doggett.

John Claude Doggett passed away in 1973 aged 77. He lies in the Springvale Botanical Cemetary, Springvale, Victoria.

Coin Information

Reference Number:C011802
Country:Australia
Year:1917-1918
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