VX35406 DRIVER WILLIAM THOMAS DOOLAN, 2/21ST INFANTRY BATTALION, WHICH FORMED PART OF GULL FORCE, ...

VX35406 DRIVER WILLIAM THOMAS DOOLAN, 2/21ST INFANTRY BATTALION, WHICH FORMED PART OF GULL FORCE, GARRISONING AMBON. KILLED IN ACTION, 1942-02-01 AT AMBON. ON 1942-01-28 A POWERFUL JAPANESE TASK FORCE LANDED, AND ONE OF THE ACTIONS FOUGHT WAS THE GALLANT DEFENCE OF CEMETERY HILL, VILLAGE OF KOEDAMITI, BY A COMPARATIVELY SMALL FORCE OF THE MEMBERS FROM THE BATTALION. SUNDAY, 1942-02-01 A SMALL RECONNAISSANCE PATROL WAS SENT OUT TOWARDS THE ENEMY LINES. ALL PATROLS DURING THIS ACTION CONSISTED OF VOLUNTEERS AND, ON THIS OCCASION DRIVER DOOLAN WAS ONE OF THEM. DRIVER DOOLAN ELECTED TO REMAIN BEHIND TO COVER THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE PARTY. THE SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION AND MACHINE GUN FIRE WHICH ENSUED DURING DOOLAN'S ENGAGEMENT OF THE ENEMY WAS HEARD BUT NOTHING FURTHER WAS KNOWN UNTIL SOME DAYS LATER WHEN HIS BODY, RIDDLED WITH BULLETS, WAS FOUND NEAR A TREE AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN THE VILLAGE OF KOEDAMITI. THIS VALOROUS, SINGLE-HANDED ACTION BY DRIVER DOOLAN, WHICH ONE REPORT STATES HE IS CREDITED WITH HAVING KILLED OR WOUNDED 80 JAPANESE, IS PERPETUATED IN A SONG BY THE AMBONESE. THE ORIGINAL CROSS ERECTED BY HIS COMRADES TO MARK HIS GRAVE IS AMONG THE RELICS OBTAINED FOR THE COLLECTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL. (DONOR MRS K. O'CONNELL)