Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Hector McDonald was the son of Angus and Margaret McDonald, of North Geelong, Victoria. He had been born and raised at Digby, Victoria.

He was transferred to the 57th Battalion in Egypt during early 1916 and after a period of illness, served with them through the Battle of Fromelles. He transferred to the 59th Battalion during November 1916. He was killed in action four days before Christmas 1916 and has no known grave.

The Hamilton Spectator reported, “Corporal McDonald was a fine type of Australian, of handsome physique and industrious habits. He was a quiet, retiring young man, and he was the antithesis of a warlike spirit, but he heard the call and nobly answered in the cause of Empire for which he has now given his life. The deepest sympathy will be felt for his parents who have two other sons with the colours, one of whom was through the whole of the Gallipoli campaign.”

A few months later the Hamilton Spectator printed a letter from Lieutenant W. Kennedy Smith, dated France, January 22, sympathising with her on the death of her son, Corporal Hector McDonald.

1916 :—I hardly know how to write and attempt to console with you in your great sorrow, but please accept my sincerest sympathy. Your boy had been in our battalion, but was transferred to the ---- sometime before I joined it. He has left behind a record of bravery, careful and thorough work. He earned the respect of his officers and the love of his comrades. Here in this place of daily, almost hourly deaths, little time or talk is wasted in bemoaning men, but on every hand in both battalions I have heard expressions of the deepest regret. To myself his death came like a blow. Only a few days previously he had come to see me in the trenches, and brought me some very welcome tinned provisions.

There is little to tell of his death. I went and saw one of the men who was with him at the time. They were out in front of the trenches working on our wires, when a sniper's bullet killed your son instantaneously, so he was at least spared the agony of pain. God help you in your great sorrow. I am sorry I cannot express better the great sympathy I feel for you, but of this, I am sure, great, as is your pain, you would rather be as you are, a mother of a dead hero than of a living coward.

I saw a fine thing a French paper some little time ago. A French widow on being told of the death of her only son said: "I have lost my son. God spare the sons of other mothers.” Your loss is harder than ours here. May God comfort you and your family.”