Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Sergeant Donald Munro Fletcher, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Fletcher, of 'Cropper's Creek' Buffalo River South, enlisted at Melbourne in September 1914 at the age of 20 years.  He spent one month in camp, but contracted measles and was discharged as unfit for duty.  Enlisting again at Bright in January 1915, he embarked as a Trooper in the 13th Light Horse Regiment on May 28th 1915.  After two months training in Egypt the Regiment was sent to Gallipoli as Infantry.  They landed on September 10th 1915 and fought there until the evacuation took place.  He spent five weeks in tent hospital on Gallipoli with fever and returned to the trenches a week before the evacuation.  The hospital was frequently under fire.  The regiment rested at Lemnos Island, and spent Christmas of 1915 there and then returned to Egypt in January 1916.  It was then remounted and did patrol duty as Divisional Cavalry on the banks of the Suez Canal until the middle of June when it was ordered to France.  Trooper Fletcher was promoted to Lance Corporal after Gallipoli and to Corporal in March 1917 after Bapaume.  A fortnight later he was promoted to Sergeant.  He also served in Belgium and obtained his first leave in June 1917, when he visited relations in England and Scotland.  His second leave was in January 1918.

Wounded severely in September 1918 near Peronne, he was sent to England where he remained in hospital until January 18th, 1919.  Embarking for Australia via the Suez Canal and Colombo it was early 1919 by the time he reached Melbourne and had recovered so as to do without crutches.  He joined the Reserve and obtained his discharge.  Donald had a total of 1650 days service with 1378 days spent abroad.

Prior to enlisting he was engaged in the carpentering trade in Melbourne.  As a boy he attended the State School at Buffalo River South and took an active part in the sports of the district - cricket, football and tennis being the chief favourites.