THE ROLL OF HONOUR
PRIVATE T. J. MCDONALD.
Private Thomas John McDonald, reported missing between April 12 and 19, enlisted with the 14th reinforcements in January, 1916. He was born at Heddon Bush, and was educated at Oreti Plains, Dunedin, and Edendale. Previous to enlisting Private McDonald worked on his father's farm at. “Candean,” Edendale. He was a member of the Edendale Pipe Band. He was a good marksman, and held badges gained in New Zealand and in England. -Southland Times, 31/5/1918.
The date of Thomas McDonald's death is not known. His unit, the Entrenching Battalion of the Otago Infantry Regiment, was cut off and surrounded during the German Spring offensive. They were compelled to surrender and kept in appalling conditions close behind the lines while they were used as forced labour by the German Army. Many men died - many survivors never fully recovered.
Thomas McDonald was eventually sent to a German PoW camp at Limburg and died from the Spanish flu.
His death was made official by a Court of Enquiry in London on April 25th, 1919. Before that, in the previous February, his death was notified as "unofficially reported." It must have been a blow to the hopes of his family, one to be made harder and final by the finding of the Court of Enquiry.
 |
| Edendale Cemetery. |
No comments:
Post a Comment