Corporal Donald Macdonald (died of wounds) was the second son of Mr Donald Macdonald, of Edendale, Southland. He enlisted as soon as he was 20, and left New Zealand with the 19th Reinforcements. He ' was born at Edendale, and received his early education at the local State school. He afterwards went to Christ's College, Christchurch, where he was signally successful both in his studies and in the athletic side of the school life, making his mark as a boxer, footballer, and swimmer. After leaving Christ's College he joined his father in the management of the Edendale estate and other properties. He had a magnificent physique, has height being 6ft 4in and his weight 16st 81b. -Press, 23/7/1917.
THE MESSINES BATTLE
WITH THE NEW ZEALANDERS.
LATE RIFLEMAN T. S. FIELD’S LETTER.
The following graphic letter has been received from the late Rifleman T. S. Field. It shows that he got safely through the big attack in the battle of Messines and it was not until some time afterwards that he met his death. His platoon commander reports that while engaged in fatigue duty Rifleman Field was badly hit by a fragment of a high explosive shell and expired soon after. In the last letter Rifleman Field wrote he showed the powers of observation, the satisfaction and zeal in his work and personal modesty, which go to make a good soldier, and there is no doubt that he would quickly have regained the stripes which he was content to surrender on going into his first big action. Rifleman Field wrote:
Since last writing the “string has broken,” as the saying goes, and in the meantime I have finished training and am in the real thing. I can assure you right at the outset it is far healthier training at the base than it is about these parts. Since coming under real active service conditions we corporals all lost our stripes and have been reduced to the ranks, which I am quite satisfied is a right and proper course, as one wants to have a good deal of experience in these parts before being given responsibilities. We came up to our company about ten days before the big advance on the 7th June, which you will have heard all about long before you get this, and we were introduced to Fritz’s shells, whiz bangs and such like right away, doing fatigue work at night in the trenches. Quite exciting work. At last the day arrived when one could almost feel in the air that there would be “something doing.” That night all preparations were made and after dark we made a long silent march (no talking or smoking), in full fighting kit up to our trenches. Once there we had some hours to wait before the hour (3.10 a.m.) arrived. I don’t know how the other chaps felt but I was heartily glad when out of the stillness of the morning our magnificent artillery opened up the barrage simultaneously with the explosion of three big mines which shook the ground like an earthquake. Our long wait was ended and we hopped over the top. Once over and clear of our trenches a sort of wild exultation took possession of one, and what with the tremendous row of bursting shells and the smoke and dust the whole thing was a sort of inferno for a little while till we got our bearings, and then we slowly advanced just behind the barrage, which lifted on with clock-work precision. Of course each man knew exactly what he had to do and where he had to get to, so what at first appeared to be a hopeless muddle soon got sorted out and we reached our objective up to time. Our company had to go well over Fritz’s front line and on further to a certain point, clearing up all the Fritz and his dug-outs, etc. This was not a very hard proposition, as our terrible artillery fire had accounted for most of them, and I saw more dead ones than live ones. When we got to our objective we dug in, and fortunately were able to get pretty well down before Fritz started any serious shelling. Other companies then came over us and went further ahead and dug in. I spent the longest day and night of my life in that trench, and I can assure you it is pretty trying work sitting or standing in a trench under shell fire. I am glad to say our casualties were comparatively light considering the large advance. Poor old Donald Macdonald got a bad crack just after we started and I am afraid he was killed, but so far we have no official information. By the fellows who were with him I am told that he was very badly hit and they left him for dead. They did all they could and sent for a stretcher bearer, but we cannot find out if he was taken out. However we are still hoping for the best, but I am afraid his chance was a very slender one. He was a fine chap and we miss him very much. -Southland Times, 12/9/1917.
Donald MacDonald's Army record, as available online through Archives NZ is, unfortunately slightly out of focus on the critical page where is detailed the eye-witness statements of those who last saw him alive and which were given at a Court of Enquiry after the evacuation from Gallipoli. Part of what is readable are his last known words: "I am done."
A stained glass window to the memory of the late Lance-corporal Donald Macdonald was unveiled in St. Hilda's Church, Edendale, on which occasion a memorial service was held, the building being crowded. The Rev. R. dc Lambert officiated at the dedication ceremony. The subject of the window is a splendid study of the Crucifixion, showing the Saviour on the Cross with the Virgin Mary and the beloved disciple St. John standing by. Underneath is inscribed the sixth "word"' from the Cross, "It is finished." The side panels of the work support the central piece excellently, both in colouring and design, and inscribed on them is, "To the Glory of God, and in memory of Donald Macdonald. Killed in action at Messines, June, 1917." -Otago Witness, 8/5/1918.
No comments:
Post a Comment