MACDONALD, John
| Service Number: | 597 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 March 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Regimental Sergeant Major |
| Last Unit: | 20th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Berkshire, England, United Kingdom, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Stud Groom |
| Died: | Heart Failure, United Kingdom, 28 June 1919, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Reading Cemetery, England |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Mar 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 597, 17th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 May 1915: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 597, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 12 May 1915: | Embarked Lance Corporal, 597, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Sydney | |
| 17 Aug 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Regimental Sergeant Major, 17th Infantry Battalion | |
| 2 Dec 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Regimental Sergeant Major, 20th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour John MacDonald's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Peter Rankin
Enlisted and served under alias George King . For bravery he was awarded the French Medaille Militaire, only 57 of this medal was awarded to Australians.
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 28th June…… John MacDonald was born at Crown Street, Reading, Berkshire, England to parents William & Mary Ann MacDonald.
According to information supplied for the Roll of Honour, John MacDonald served in 1st Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry & served for 7 years in India & 4 years on reserve. He was with Mercantile Marines prior to enlisting with the Australian Imperial Force.
Also from information supplied for the Roll of Honour - John MacDonald came to Australia when he was about 29 years old.
He enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 1st March, 1915 at Liverpool, Sydney, NSW under the name of “George King” & stated he was 35 year old, single, Stud-groom from Warren Row, Henley-on-Thames, Buckinghamshire, England.
“George King” was posted as Private from 1st March, 1915 then promoted to Lance Corporal on 29th March, 1915.
Lance Corporal “George King”, Service number 597, embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Themistocles (A32) on 12th May, 1915 with the 5th Infantry Brigade, 17th Infantry Battalion “B” Company.
He was promoted to Sergeant while posted at Heliopolis on 13th August, 1915.
Sergeant “George King” proceeded to join M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) at Gallipoli on 16th August, 1915.
On 1st October, 1915 Sergeant “George King” was promoted to C.S.M. (Company Sergeant Major – A warrant officer) while at Gallipoli Peninsula.
Company Sergeant Major “George King” disembarked at Alexandria from Mudros on 9th January, 1916 (after evacuation of Gallipoli). He was promoted to T/RSM (Temporary Regimental Sergeant Major) while posted at Moascar on 4th March, 1916.
He embarked from Alexandria on 17th March, 1916 to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 23rd March, 1916.
On 17th August, 1916 Temporary Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” was to be Regimental Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer Class 1) vice Lane evacuated on 17th August, 1916.
Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” was mentioned in 2nd Australian Division, Routine Order dated 26th August, 1916 for good and gallant conduct in the field in connection with the fighting round Pozieres.
He was placed on Supernumerary List on 27th November, 1916 while attached to 2nd Division School of Instruction. He was marched in from 2nd Divisional School to 1st Anzac Corps School in France on 1st May, 1917 & rejoined his Battalion in France on 15th May, 1917.
On 21st July, 1917 Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” was transferred & taken on strength with Anzac Corps School in France.
Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” was on leave to England on 3rd August, 1917 & returned from leave on 15th August, 1917.
He was marched out to Reinforcements Camp, Caestre on 27th March, 1918 & was taken on strength with 17th Battalion from Australian Corps School in France on 28th March, 1918.
From 22nd August, 1918 Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” was on Leave to Paris & rejoined from Leave on 4th September, 1918.
Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” (John MacDonald) was wounded in action (Gassed) in France on 3rd October, 1918. He was admitted to 12th Casualty Clearing Station then transferred on 4th October, 1918 to No. 12 Ambulance Train. R.S.M. “George King” was admitted to 5th General Hospital at Rouen on 4th October, 1918 & discharged to Base Depot on 8th October, 1918. R.S.M. “George King” was marched in to A.I.B.D. (Australian Infantry Base Depot) at Havre, France on 9th October, 1918. He was marched out to his Unit on 13th October, 1918 & rejoined his Unit from Hospital on 14th October, 1918.
On 2nd December, 1918 Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” was transferred from 17th Battalion to 20th Battalion in France.
He was listed on 17th March, 1919 to return to UK as Industrial Engineers. He embarked from France on 24th March, 1919 & disembarked at Southampton, England on 25th March, 1919. He was to then report to Parkhouse, Wiltshire.
Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” was marched in to A.S.C. Training Depot at Parkhouse, Wiltshire on 26th March, 1919. He was marched out to Repatriation & Demobilisation Depot on 31st March, 1919.
On 3rd April, 1919 Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” was granted Leave to 9th July, 1919 with pay & subsistence. Reason – Poultry Farming. Attending – Chivers & Sons, Sedge Fen, Lakenheath, Brandon, Suffolk, England. Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” was taken off strength with A.I.F Headquarters, London – N.M.E. (Non Military Employment -Leave after Armistice - placement within industry) in UK.
Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” was awarded the Medaille Militaire for conspicuous Services. (The Médaille Militaire is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force).
He died on 28th June, 1919 at Lakenheath, Suffolk, England from “Heart failure due to after effect of Gas (whilst in swinging boat) at Lakenheath near The Ford.”
Regimental Sergeant Major “George King” was buried on 3rd July, 1919 in Reading Cemetery, Reading, Berkshire, England.
He is named on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Screen Wall. Those buried in Plot 72 & buried in other parts of the cemetery that do not have headstones marking their graves are named on the Memorial Screen Wall located near the Cross of Sacrifice. Their deaths are still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/reading.html
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