Ralph Dorchel Doughty was born on the 1 October 1891 in the little town of Stratford, Taranaki, being the eighth and youngest child of William and Susanna Doughty. He spent his early years growing up in Stratford and went through the public education system.

His first job was as a warehouseman in Stratford but when he was old enough he decided to travel over to Australia to seek employment that was more rewarding and ‘better paying’, this was in 1913 at the age 22.

When World War One commenced and being in Australia at the time, he enlisted with the AIF as a gunner and left the shores of his adopted country on the 18 October 1914. His first port of call being the 'Land of the Pharaohs' where rigorous training and tons of good fun and high life generally were the rules of the road’.

After his initial training Ralph travelled over and landed on the inhospitable shores of the Gallipoli peninsular for eight month, then over to the bloody battlefields of the Western Front and Flanders fields.

During his time as a gunner he was able to complete five day-by-day diaries, giving a factual account of how he saw the war through his eyes with every aspect and experience of his artillery life placed onto the pages.

Ralph lost his life on the battlefield at Flanders when he sustained a shrapnel wound and died on the 25 July 1917 and was laid to rest at Coxyde Military Cemetery, Koksijde.

Then in November 2011 (94 years after his death), I received an email that supplied the information that I had been looking for on how Lieutenant Ralph. D. Doughty MC lost his life (from friendly fire), bringing closure for our family here in New Plymouth ..............click here to read more.