Mar 12, 1895

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland to William and Davina Donald

Dec 11, 1915

Attested into the 93^rd 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

Jul 15, 1916

Embarked the Empress of Britain in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Jul 25, 1916

Disembarked in Liverpool, England and proceeded to Shorncliffe to continue training

Aug 27, 1916

Admitted to the Military Hospital in Shorncliffe with a diagnosis that reads VDG (Venereal Disease Gonorrhea)

Aug 28, 1916

Transferred to the Barnwell Military Hospital in Cambridge

Oct 6, 1916

Posted to the 39^th Reserve Battalion in West Sandling while still in hospital

Nov 29, 1916

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

Jan 4, 1917

Posted to the newly formed 6^th Reserve Battalion in West Sandling.  Shortly after the battalion’s formation, it moved to Seaford

Mar 21, 1917

Admitted to the Military Hospital in Etchinghill with a diagnosis of VDG

Mar 29, 1917

Discharged to duty from hospital 

60¢ per day deducted from his pay for the 9 days in hospital

Apr 13, 1917

Admonished for having an untidy bunk

May 3, 1917

Posted to the 21^st Battalion

May 4, 1917

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 21^st Battalion

May 7, 1917

Left the CBD to join the battalion

May 31, 1917

Joined the 21^st 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.

Nov 9, 1917

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