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Quote from: David Hutchinson on Thursday 08 June 23 08:43 BST (UK)

My fellow died in 1956.

Yes he did.
From GRONI Online - https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk/

Frederick Dougan   22nd October 1956        68     Male       Belfast

It took me ages to locate his death record as he was registered under the name of 'DoNgan' instead of 'DoUgan'.  I contacted GRONI and had them amend it, hence why you found it so quickly.  I searched high and low until I found it after trying many variations of his name!

Quote from: Kiltaglassan on Thursday 08 June 23 07:55 BST (UK)

Quote

May I ask where you found this second Frederick James Dougan?

From IrishGenealogy.ie-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-search.jsp

Born 26 August at 30 Combermere Street. Father John Dougan, a bottler. Mother Sarah Jane, MN Hawthorne.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/cert_amends/cert_1888/1930003a.pdf

1901 census
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/St__George_s_Ward_Belfast/Combermear_Street/955049/

That's him.

There are Belfast newspaper reports (28/29 July 1955) of a 66 year old Frederick James Dougan (born c.1889), of Clifton Court, Belfast getting married. Wondered if might be "your" FJD or the other one?

Thanks again.  Yes, I was actually aware of him.  He is a different person, although a few similarities, not the least being his name!    My fellow died in 1956.

Hi

You say that his transfer to the Northumberland Fusiliers might have been "possibly because his battalion was decimated", but do you know which battalion he was in? It was the 2nd Battalion which was largely wiped out at the  Battle of La Bassée in October 1914.  Added: The 1st Battalion also suffered heavy casualties later on. From Wikipedia: " ... by the end of one attack in 1916, it was down to only one surviving officer and sixty men."

In 1908 there were two regular battalions, neither of which were serving in India as far as I can tell.
It is also possible that he joined the newly created Territorial Force, in which case he may have originally been in the 3rd or 4th Battalion. If he was then he certainly wouldn't have served in India and would only have been called up in 1914. However his regimental number indicates that he joined either the 1st or 2nd Battalion.

I expect that you already know that the reason he was discharged was that he was no longer fit for further service due to a gunshot would. There's no record that I've been able to find of when he received the wound or where he was treated. I think it is significant that he only appears to have received the Silver War Badge and none of the other standard medals one would expect for a soldier who had served in France and apparently been wounded there. The only MIC I have found for him does not record that he was in France. There may be a Northumberland Fusiliers' medal roll on Ancestry that I haven't seen.

There were quite a few Patrick Dougans in the Royal Irish Rifles! They were probably all known as Paddy.

..... AND AGAIN.

Hi

You say that his transfer to the Northumberland Fusiliers might have been "possibly because his battalion was decimated", but do you know which battalion he was in? It was the 2nd Battalion which was largely wiped out at the  Battle of La Bassée in October 1914.  Added: The 1st Battalion also suffered heavy casualties later on. From Wikipedia: " ... by the end of one attack in 1916, it was down to only one surviving officer and sixty men."

In 1908 there were two regular battalions, neither of which were serving in India as far as I can tell.
It is also possible that he joined the newly created Territorial Force, in which case he may have originally been in the 3rd or 4th Battalion. If he was then he certainly wouldn't have served in India and would only have been called up in 1914. However his regimental number indicates that he joined either the 1st or 2nd Battalion.

I expect that you already know that the reason he was discharged was that he was no longer fit for further service due to a gunshot would. There's no record that I've been able to find of when he received the wound or where he was treated. I think it is significant that he only appears to have received the Silver War Badge and none of the other standard medals one would expect for a soldier who had served in France and apparently been wounded there. The only MIC I have found for him does not record that he was in France. There may be a Northumberland Fusiliers' medal roll on Ancestry that I haven't seen.

There were quite a few Patrick Dougans in the Royal Irish Rifles! They were probably all known as Paddy.

Thanks Andy.

I can confirm that he was in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles and the 3rd Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers.

Records suggest he also received the Victory Medal, the 1914/15 Star and British War Medals WW1.  I have attached a photo of his medals if that helps.

His son is actually still alive and is quite sure he was in India prior to WW1.  Just can't find any record of it.

Interestingly, I also located a card which is stamped 'DEAD - 25/2/26'.  This is a bit confusing as I know for sure he died in 1956.

I am making these enquiries for his son (82 years old) who was only 16 years when his father died and he doesn't know a lot about him.

Regards,

David

PS:  for some reason it won't allow me to attach photos.  I shall post this reply and then try again separately.