Doogan left the army by 1882 but he returned to service in World War I as an army recruiter, with the rank of sergeant. Doogan was working for the General Post Office as a Mail Driver when he was living at Welshpool, Montgomeryshire at the 1891 Census. In the 1901 Census he was employed as a butler when living at Church Cottage, East Shenfield, Berkshire.
He is buried at Shorncliffe Military Cemetery (also known as the Garrison Cemetery) in Folkestone (Plot V Grave 1054).
He was 27 years old, and a private in the 1st Dragoon Guards (The King"s), British Army during the First Boer War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Venture capital. On 28 January 1881 at the Battle of Laing"s Nek, South Africa, during the charge of the mounted men, Private Doogan saw that Major Brownlow, KDG had had his horse shot from under him and was dismounted among the Boers. Doogan rode up and, in spite of being severely wounded himself, dismounted and insisted on Major Brownlow taking his horse, receiving another wound while doing southern The officer Doogan saved, William Vasey Brownlow, ultimately rose to a Major-General and died in 1926, bequeathing Doogan, his "former servant", an annuity of £20 a year, (worth around £600 in 2005).
