Mar 12, 1895
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Born in Edinburgh, Scotland to William and
Davina Donald
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Dec 11, 1915
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Attested into the 93rd Battalion in
Peterborough, Ontario
Ø Number 195418
Ø Next of kin given as William Donald, father, 10a Broughton St.,
Edinburgh, Scotland
Ø Previous occupation given as Farm Labourer
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Presbyterian
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Jul 15, 1916
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Embarked the Empress of Britain in Halifax, Nova
Scotia
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Jul 25, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool, England and proceeded
to Shorncliffe to continue training
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Aug 27, 1916
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Admitted to the Military Hospital in Shorncliffe
with a diagnosis that reads VDG (Venereal Disease Gonorrhea)
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Aug 28, 1916
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Transferred to the Barnwell Military Hospital in
Cambridge
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Oct 6, 1916
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Posted to the 39th Reserve Battalion
in West Sandling while still in hospital
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Nov 29, 1916
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Discharged from hospital and continued as an
out-patient for 1 week
60¢ per day
deducted from his pay for the 96 days in hospital
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Jan 4, 1917
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Posted to the newly formed 6th
Reserve Battalion in West Sandling. Shortly
after the battalion’s formation, it moved to Seaford
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Mar 21, 1917
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Admitted to the Military Hospital in Etchinghill
with a diagnosis of VDG
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Mar 29, 1917
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Discharged to duty from hospital
60¢ per day
deducted from his pay for the 9 days in hospital
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Apr 13, 1917
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Admonished for having an untidy bunk
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May 3, 1917
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Posted to the 21st Battalion
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May 4, 1917
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Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the
Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 344 reinforcements from England and TOS
(Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
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May 7, 1917
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Left the CBD to join the battalion
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May 31, 1917
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Joined the 21st
Battalion in the front line near Vimy Ridge
There is no
explanation in the file for the delay in joining the battalion. However there were a large number of
reinforcements that left the CBD the same day and there may have been some delays in
finding the destination battalions.
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Nov 9, 1917
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While on the Passchendaele front, the battalion
supplied a work party of 212 all ranks to the engineers that came under a heavy artillery
barrage and suffered many casualties. At the
same time, the battalion itself was heavily shelled.
It is unclear from the file if Private Donald was out on the work party, or if he
had remained with the battalion, but what is known is that he received severe shrapnel
wounds to his right arm and left leg. He was
evacuated to the No. 1 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance) for treatment where it was
discovered that his left leg was fractured and the foot had to be amputated. Before he could be transferred to a hospital, he
died of his wounds and was buried in the Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, just south of
the village in Belgium.
Following the war the British War Medal, Victory
Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), and Scroll were sent to his sister, Mrs. Jessie
Hall, 16 Guildhall St., Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
No Memorial Cross was issued
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