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Vincent Patrick Doyle - Information

As the boys were rushing into machine gun fire at Gallipoli, Vincent was working as a labourer in Sydney. He was born in Picton, and later resided at 35 Montague St in Balmain with his family. He went to Brooklyn Public School and Christian Brothers School in Balmain. Just after his 19th birthday, he signed up in Warwick Farm on the 25th of August 1915. Vincent was made a Private with the 13th Reinforcements, 2nd Battalion. He was then sent abroad from Sydney on the HMAT Aeneas on the 20th of December 1915.

Vincent set down in Egypt, and was then transferred to the 54th Battalion in March. In mid June, he was transported from Alexandria to Marseilles in France. Vincent and his new unit were placed in a quiet section of the frontline. At the time, Allied commanders were preparing for the grand Somme Offensive which commenced on the 1st of July. In an attempt to draw German reserves from reinforcing the Somme Sector, an attack was ordered on Fromelles. This proved a disastrous battle, as men ran into enfilade fire and came pinned down in No Man’s Land. In just one day, the 5th Division ceased to be an effective fighting force. Vincent fell shortly after the battle began on the 19th of July. When it quietened down, Vincent was buried by Reverend J. J. Kennedy, in what is now the ANZAC Cemetery, Sailly-sur-la-Lys in France.