Lionel Theodore Claude Docking

RANK: Private

SERVICE NUMBER:  6237

UNITS SERVED:  10th Battalion

Personal Details: From a farming family on a property in Victoria near Rosy Pine, not far from Pinnaroo South Australia Father James Docking and mother Marie Docking. He was the 11th child in the family. James and Marie had 14 children all raised on the family farm.

Enlistment Details: Claude enlisted in Kadina on the 1st of May 1916, along with his older brother Franz Docking

Details about his role in War: Claude departed Adelaide, Australia on HMAT Anchises on the 28th of August 1916. On the 11th of October they arrived in Plymouth, England where they stayed until the 17th of December when they finally proceeded to France on S.S ‘Golden Eagle’. When arriving in France on the 29th of December he was then marched to meet the 10th battalion. On the 5th of January 1917 they had reached his battalion and were taken on strength by the 10th battalion. On the 6th of May 1917 Claude was killed in action by a shell, he was killed on impact along with his older brother Frantz Docking. As reported in the Border times from an extract of a soldiers letter it was said that the brothers were always together and at the time of the brothers death they lay side by side. As the shell hit they were both killed instantaneously along with another boy from Pinnaroo.

Age at Death: 24 years of age

Cemetery or Memorial Details: Villers-Bretonneux Memorial

Interesting Material: The brothers enlisted the same day, had consecutive service numbers and were killed by the same shell.
As recorded in the Border times from an extract from a soldiers letter it was said that the brothers were always together and at the time of the brothers death they lay side by side. As the shell hit they were both killed instantaneously.