| Regimental number | 2612 |
| Place of birth | Brunswick, Victoria |
| School | St Ambrose School, Brunswick, Victoria |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Occupation | Carrier |
| Address | 187 Edward Street, Brunswick, Victoria |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 24 |
| Height | 5' 4.5" |
| Weight | 140 lbs |
| Next of kin | Father, Thomas C Docter, 187 Edward Street, Brunswick, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Nil |
| Enlistment date | |
| Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 24th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/41/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 60th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Age at death | 25.6 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 20), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 169 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Cancel Thomas and Alice DOCTER, 187 Edward Street, Brunswick, Victoria |
| Family/military connections | Brothers: 1935 Pte Francis DOCTER, 5th Bn, killed in action, 25 November 1915; 1699 Pte Alfred William DOCTER, 23rd Bn, returned to Australia, 20 October 1915. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Admitted to 4th Auxiliary Hospital, Abbassia, 20 February 1916 (diptheria); discharged to duty, 21 February 1916. Discharged from 4th Auxiliary Hospital, 3 April 1916 (scarlet fever: no further details recorded). Taken on strength, 60th Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 20 April 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Reported Missing, 19 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 4 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'. Statement, Red Cross File No 930405, 3183 Pte E.H. MELLERSHIP, 60th Bn (patient, Northants War Hospital, Duston, England), 14 October 1916: 'Informant states that on July 19/16 at the right of Fleurbaix Pte. Doctoer was wounded and he crawled to a creek for [a] drink. He had a drink and that was the last that was seen of him. Informant and others heard that it was found out afterwards that the creek was poisoned and all the men who drank of it died.' Second statement, 4004 Pte H. DYALL, A company, 60th Bn (patient, Bethnal Green Hospital, London, England), 1 June 1917: 'I saw Docter lying dead in No Man's Land, killed by a machine gun at Fleurbaix, near Armentieres. We had been lying out all night. I don't think he was buried. They did not get half the bodies in. Docter had a brother killed at Gallipoli.' Third statement, 2574 Pte G.E. CLIFTON, 60th Bn, 22 June 1917: 'I saw Casualty's body lying in front of the Big Pit in front of our trench at Fleurbaix on the 19th July. Casualty was killed as he left the parapet in the first wave.' Note on file: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills. 10-10-19.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Miscellaneous details | Name entered incorrectly on Embarkation Roll as Thomas Canel DOCTOR. |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, DOCTER Thomas Cancel
Red Cross File No 930405 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
