Ernest Dobson was born in Wigan, Lancs, and came to Adelaide in 1910. He was married and worked as a carpenter for Harris, Scarfe & Co., still a well-known department store in Adelaide. He joined the South Adelaide soccer club in 1911 and was captain of the reserves team in 1912. He was not noted in team line ups in 1913-14 and it is possible that he may have been working in the country.
He enlisted in the AIF in April 1916, by which time he and wife Nellie had two children. Sent to the Western Front with the 5 th Pioneers, Dobson was killed in action at the second Battle of Bullecourt, an assault on the Hindenburg Line, on 10 May 1917. He was 28 years old.