BEGBIE, Donald Smirnoff
| Service Number: | 6775 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 April 1917, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 20th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Yass, New South Wales, Australia, 17 February 1899 |
| Home Town: | Murrumburrah, Harden, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Frogmore Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Railway Employee |
| Died: | Wounds, No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station, France, 28 April 1918, aged 19 years |
| Cemetery: |
Pernois British Cemetery, Halloy-les-Pernois, France Plot 1, Row B, Grave 12 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Boorowa War Memorial, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Apr 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Jun 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 6775, 20th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Jun 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 6775, 20th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suevic, Melbourne | |
| 28 Apr 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 6775, 20th Infantry Battalion, D.O.W. | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 20th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Donald Smirnoff BEGBIE was born in Murrumburrah, NSW on 17 February 1899. He went to school at Frogmore, near Yass, NSW, but by the time he joined the NSWGR&T on 12 April 1916, he and his family were living at Islington in Newcastle, NSW. His position in the NSWGR&T was that of junior porter in the Newcastle District of the Traffic Branch. On 2 May 1917 he was granted leave to join the AIF, although records show he was given written permission to join up by the District Superintendent, Newcastle, dated 18 April 1917.
His date of enlistment in the AIF is 21 April 1917, and he joined with the rank of Private (Service Number 6775). He was assigned to the 20th Reinforcements to the 20th Infantry Battalion. In his Attestation Paper he nominated his father, Mr Arthur Vernon Begbie, as his next of kin.
Donald embarked aboard HMAT A29 ‘Suevic’ at Melbourne for the UK on 21 June 1917, reaching Liverpool, England on 26 August 1917. From Liverpool he was sent to the 5th Training Battalion at Rollestone and three months later, on 27 December 1917, he departed Southampton for the Australian Infantry Base Depot in France. He was taken on strength of the 20th Infantry Battalion on 1 January 1918, in Belgium. On 27 April 1918 he received a shell wound in the abdomen while in action near Amiens in France and the following day, 28 April 1918, at No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station, he died of his wounds, aged 19.
Donald’s grave is in Pernois British Cemetery, Halloy-les-Pernois, Amiens, Picardie, France (Plot 1, Row B). His place of association is given as Islington, Newcastle, NSW. In his Will, Donald left all his property and effects to his mother, Alena Jessie Begbie.
(NAA B2455-3069545)
Submitted 11 May 2023 by John Oakes
Biography
Native of Murrumburrah, New South Wales. Brother of 6771 Pte Arthur Percival Elphinston BEGBIE, 20th Bn, returned to Australia, 16 January 1919.
Medals: British Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery.
Let us remember 2 Fallen brothers of The Great War awaiting memorialisation at Sandgate Cemetery.
On the 28th April 1918, Private Donald Smirnoff Begbie, 20th Battalion (Reg No-6775), railway porter from 35 Maitland Road, Islington, New South Wales, Died of Wounds at No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station, France, age 19 years 2 months.
Born at Murrumburrah, New South Wales on the 17th February 1899 to Arthur Vernon (First Class Constable, Newcastle Police, died 29.3.1955, Tighes Hill, N.S.W., age 86, ashes interred 20.6.1955, from 76 Harcourt Parade, Rosebery, N.S.W., and Alena (Lena, Elina) Jessie Begbie nee MacKenzie (married to John Howard 1893, Goulburn, N.S.W., John died 15.11.1895, Braidwood, N.S.W., age 24, Alena re-married to Arthur 1897, Braidwood, N.S.W., died 11.12.1933, Randwick, N.S.W., age 62, sleeping at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park), from Frogmore, Burrowa, New South Wales (1915) and 35 Maitland Road, Islington, N.S.W. (1916) and "Woodville", 8 Donald Street, Hamilton, N.S.W. (1920) and 212 Maitland Road, Islington, N.S.W. (1923) and 76 Harcourt Parade, Rosebery, N.S.W. and 33 York Road, Waverley, N.S.W., Don enlisted on the 19th April 1917 at Newcastle, N.S.W.
Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on board HMAT A29 Suevic on the 21st June 1917.
Wounded in action - 27.4.1918 (SW abdomen), subsequently Don DOW 28/4/1918.
Mr. Begbie is resting at Pernois British Cemetery, France. Plot I Row B Grave 12.
Don’s name has been inscribed on the Wickham (Hawkins Oval) Soldiers' Memorial, Wickham Municipal District Roll of Honour Board (2), St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Newcastle) Roll of Honour, Boorowa War Memorial and the NSW Govt Railways and Tramways Roll of Honour, 1914-1919.
Older step-brother John Alexander Howard (born 15.8.1893, Araluen, New South Wales, teacher from 1 Ness Avenue, Dulwich Hill, New South Wales, enlisted 20.3.1915, 20th Battalion, Reg No-881, wounded in action - 9.5.1916 (multiple bomb wounds), DOW 10.5.1916, Armentieres, France, Sergeant, age 22, resting at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Plot II Row D Grave 41.
Older brother Arthur Percival Elphinstone Howard (born 15.9.1897, Araluen, New South Wales, labourer from 35 Maitland Road, Islington, New South Wales, enlisted 12.3.1917, 20th Battalion, Reg No-6771, wounded in action - 3.10.1918 (GSW right leg, severe), RTA 2.3.1919, died 21.11.1930, Redfern, N.S.W., age 33, resting at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, officially commemorated, Plaque in New South Wales Garden of Remembrance.
I don’t know why the ashes of Arthur Vernon Begbie had been placed at the Gordon gravesite, and his name has not been inscribed on any gravesite plaque.
So unfortunately there is no memorial inscriptions for his 2 sons who Fell during The Great War, so I have placed poppies in remembrance of their service and supreme sacrifice for God, King & Country. PRESBYTERIAN-8NW. 30.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
For more detail, see “Forever Remembered“.
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/.
Lest We Forget.
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