MCINNES, Donald William
| Service Numbers: | 1154, 1301 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 November 1914, Enlisted at Rosehill |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 4th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wanalta, Victoria, Australia, 2 March 1890 |
| Home Town: | Ariah Park, Temora Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Brigidine Convent, Rochester, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Locomotive Fireman |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 30 April 1918, aged 28 years |
| Cemetery: |
Meteren Military Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Ariah Park War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Nov 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1154, 4th Infantry Battalion, Enlisted at Rosehill | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 1154, 4th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 1154, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Melbourne | |
| 24 Apr 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 4th Infantry Battalion, Promoted in France | |
| 30 Apr 1918: | Involvement Sergeant, 1301, 4th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1301 awm_unit: 4th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1918-04-30 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Brother
McINNES, Pte. Vincent Michael, 1800. 2nd Bn. Australian Inf. Killed in action 6th/9th Aug., 1915. Age 21.
Sons of John and Mary Elizabeth McInnes, of Ungarie, New South Wales.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Donald William McINNES, (Service Number 1301) was born on 2nd March 1890 at Wanalta, Victoria. He first worked for the NSW Government Railways as a cleaner, the first rung in the career path to locomotive driver, at Harden Locomotive Depot from 29th September 1913, though he had been casual in that role since 20th March 1912. In January 1914 he progressed to fireman at Eveleigh Locomotive Depot and it was from this role that he was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 24th October 1914.
McInnes enlisted at Rosehill on 1st November 1914. Being unmarried he gave his father living at Ariah Park as his next of kin. He was allotted to the 1st Reinforcements to the 4th Australian Infantry Battalion. He was in Egypt in good time to embark ‘Lake Michigan’ on 5th April 1915 for the Gallipoli landings on 25th April. In August, on Gallipoli, he contracted Influenza and was evacuated to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis, Egypt, via the 3rd Field Ambulance, the 1st Australian Clearing Hospital, the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, the fleet sweeper HMS ‘Galeka’ and the sick convoy at Alexandria (Egypt). He was transferred to No. 1 Auxiliary Hospital and No. 4 Auxiliary Hospital, the Australian overseas base at Ghizerih and finally discharged to his unit at Zietoun and then marched out to Tel-el-Kebir. He re-joined his unit at Serapeum (still in Egypt).
By this time, it was March 1916. The Gallipoli campaign was over, and all the Australian units had been withdrawn to Egypt. He embarked ‘Simla’ at Alexandria for passage to Marseilles and the British Expeditionary Force fighting in France. Before departure from Egypt he had been promoted to Lance Corporal. The rest of 1916 was spent fighting in France. In January 1917 he was further promoted, to Corporal.
In April 1917 he was wounded with a gun shot to his chest. He was sent to the Divisional Rest Station, rather than a hospital. Also, he had treatment for scabies. He was discharged on 25th April and re-joined his unit on 28th April.
In August 1917 he was sent to the Brigade Musketry School. In September he was detached for duty with the NSW Training Battalion. He travelled from France to England On Command at the Lyndhurst Bombing School. After training from 28th November to 15th December 1917 he qualified as an instructor, 2nd class.
In January 1918 he returned to France and re-joined his unit on 3rd February 1918. In late March and early April, he was detached to the 184th Tunnelling Company. Not long after his return to the 4th Battalion, he was promoted to Sergeant on 24th April.
He was killed in action on 30th April 1918.
Private J P Gorvin, (6735) stated:
‘McInnes seemed to think something was going to happen to him as he said to me the night before “I don’t like my chances this time”. He was knocked over by a shell which exploded short of the trench. Sgt. Lean of our platoon & I went to him, he was groaning a little, but that soon stopped, he seemed too bad for us to do anything for, so he was taken to the dressing station where he was found to be dead. It was about 5.10 A.M. Sgt. Lean took charge of the things out of his pocket.’
McInnes was at first buried at Le Rouklochille Military Cemetery 3¼ miles North West of Bailleul, but after the war his remains were exhumed and re-interred in Meteren Military Cemetery. His brother Vincent Michael McInnes had been killed at Lone Pine and another brother, Francis Alexander, joined the 4th Battalion the day after his brother’s death.
The personal effects of Don McInnes were despatched to Australia on SS ‘Barunga’. This ship was lost at sea with all cargo as a result of enemy action.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes on the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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