Description

LIEUTENANT DOOLEY SUFFOLK REGIMENT RAF BALLOON OBSERVER WW1 MEDALS BRITISH ARMY

A 1914 Star trio of medals to Lieutenant W. J. Dooley, Suffolk Regiment, who later served in the Royal Air Force as a Balloon Observation officer

1914 Star, impressed named 2287 P^TE W.J. DOOLEY 4/SUFF:R., British War and victory Medals, impressed named LIEUT. W.J. DOOLEY. R.A.F. Swing mounted as worn with original ribbons and comes with copies of M.I.C., medal rolls, Silver War Badge list, R.A.F service records, officer’s pension extract and Army List extract.

Lieutenant William John Dooley was born on the 17/5/1894. A pre-war territorial with the 1/4^th Battalion Suffolk Regiment, he landed in France 8/11/1914 with the Battalion which was posted to the Jullundur Brigade, 3rd (Lahore) Division. He was serving as a Lance Corporal when he was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant on the 15/12/1915. He continued to serve with the 1/4^th Suffolk Regiment (as per medal roll). At some stage he was injured/wounded as he appears on the officer’s non effective roll 9/3/1918 – 30/7/1918. Perhaps as a result of this he transferred to the Royal Air Force, being posted to the No. 2 Balloon Training Wing 24/7/1918. He was posted to 2nd Balloon Training School 25/9/1918 and on completion of his course was qualified as a Kite Balloon Observer 22/10/1918 and subsequently posted to the 10^th Balloon Company 28/10/1918. Posted to the B.E.F (France & Germany) 29/1/1919 with the No 2. Balloon Training Depot.

As a result of an accident, he was admitted to hospital 10/2/1919, he was downgraded to be fit for ‘ground duties only’ 25/3/1919.  This was confirmed 17/6/1919, he applied for a permanent commission 13/7/1919 which was unsuccessful and he was transferred to the inactive list 13/12/1919. His Silver War Badge (Officers list) gives his home address as Bournemouth.