Charles Hotham Montagu Doughty was born 23 July 1868, the eldest son of Henry Montagu and Edith Rebecca (née Cameron) Doughty of Theberton Hall, Suffolk. His paternal uncle was Charles Montagu Doughty, English poet, writer and explorer who was the author of the two volume travel book, Travels in Arabia Deserta, published in 1888.

Doughty was educated at Cordwalles School and then began studies at Winchester College in September 1882. After graduating from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in 1889, Doughty was gazetted to the 2nd Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers, before taking part in border fighting in the Black Mountains region of the North-West Frontier of India in 1891. During this time, Doughty was severely wounded while leading a charge in the Hazara Valley. In 1895 he was chosen to accompany the Chitral Relief Force as transport officer after a local coup had resulted in a British force of around 400 men being besieged in the fort in the area. After a short time in Malta and Crete, Doughty began serving in the Egyptian Army in 1898, and was present at the Battle of Omdurman and serving as Brigade Major in accompanying the mobile force detailed to follow up the Dervishes in the desert south of the city. Doughty was mentioned twice in Despatches, and received the Turkish Order of the Medjidieh. In 1899, Doughty was posted to South Africa where he commanded a battalion of Mounted Infantry in the Orange River Colony, before being posted to Tientsin, China, in the aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion. From 1903 to 1904 he served in Somaliland, commanding a unit of the Somali Camel Corps, and in 1906 he was appointed Military Consul at Konya, and later at Mersin, in Turkey.

In 1904, Doughty married Lilian Oimara Adams, daughter of John Wylie of Westcliff Hall, Hampshire, and widow of Lieutenant Henry Adams-Wylie of the Indian Medical Service. Upon their marriage, Doughty adopted his wife's maiden name, as Adams had, changing his surname to Doughty-Wylie. The couple honeymooned on the North-West Frontier of India, returning to England via Baghdad, Babylon and Constantinople. Mrs Doughty-Wylie took part in relief work during the Balkan War in 1913 and superintended the management of Red Cross Hospitals at Constantinople.

Doughty-Wylie served at Adana during the Armenian massacres, assuming command of the town and posting guards over threatened houses. Afterwards, he organised relief for victims, taking many hundreds of refugees into his own house, with his wife taking control of three hospitals. and was awarded the CMG (the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George) for his courage and capacity "in saving the lives of thousands of many nationalities". rendered conspicuous service at Adana during the Armenian massacres, winning the title of 'the heroic Vice-Consul'. Acting on his own responsibility he assumed command of the town, posting guards over threatened houses and continually riding through the streets in spite of a damaged arm, trying to stop the slaughter. He afterwards organised relief for the destitute, taking many hundreds of refugees into his own house, while his wife undertook control of three hospitals. For the courage and capacity shown by him on this occasion 'in saving the lives of thousands of many nationalities', he was awarded the CMG.

In December 1909 he was appointed British Consul at Addis Ababa, the capital of Abyssinia, where he acted for considerable periods as Chargé d'Affaires. In 1912, having obtained leave from Abyssinia, he was appointed Director-in-Chief of the Red Cross Units working in Turkey during the Balkan War, and remained at Constantinople till May 1913. He was elected president of the International Commission appointed to delineate the boundaries of southern Albania and on the conclusion of his work was awarded the CB. Early in 1915, having returned to Addis Ababa, he again obtained leave from Abyssinia and after a short stay in London, was gazetted to the staff of General Sir Ian Hamilton in the Dardanelles, taking up his position on 18 March 1915.

Charles was killed on 26 April during the successful attack on Sedd-el-Bahr, (Seddülbahir in modern Turkish) and it was for his conduct on that occasion that he was posthumously awarded the VC. The official citation for his VC., dated 23 June 1915, states: 'On 26th April 1915, subsequent to a landing having been effected on the beach at a point on the Gallilpoli Peninsula, during which both Brigadier-General and Brigade Major had been killed, Lieutenant-Colonel Doughty-Wylie and Captain Walford organised and led an attack through and on both sides of the village of Sedd el Bahr on the Old Castle at the top of the hill inland. The enemy's position was very strongly held and entrenched, and defended with concealed machine guns and pom-poms. It was mainly due to the initiative, skill and great gallantry of these two officers that the attack was a complete success. Both were killed in the moment of victory'. Colonel Doughty-Wylie was buried at Sedd-el-Bahr on the hill which bears his name - Hill 141, also known as Fort Hill.