Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Jack’s father John was a well-known Melbourne business man, who had died several years before the war. Jack’s mother and sister lived at 20 Darlington Parade, Richmond Victoria. It was reported in a Melbourne newspaper that prior to the war ‘Jack’ Macdonald, as the gallant young soldier was familiarly known, was connected with many sporting clubs in Richmond, belonging at various times to St. Ignatius' football, cricket and tennis clubs. He enlisted, with a number of well-known young men from the Richmond Catholic Club, in July, 1915. He had also been in the employ of the Neptune Oil Company, in their Melbourne office, and in tendering the sincere condolence of the company to Mrs. Macdonald and family in their great loss, it was stated that "they were proud of the fact that one of their employees had the courage, when necessity arose, to go out and fight for those near and dear, and that though painful as the heavy trial undoubtedly was, nevertheless it should not be forgotten that his death was a glorious one, and he himself a hero of whom his country was justly and undeniably proud."

In a two-page letter to the parents of 4244 Private George Morris West 23rd Battalion, who was killed in action on the night of 4 August 1916, 3901 Lance Corporal Jack MacDonald 23rd Battalion tried to explain the heavy fighting they were involved in, on the night her son died.

“It was far and away my worst experience, and I’m sure Mrs. West, if you went through that night with me, saw the awful job that they had to complete, how well they did it and how game they died, you would not mourn your son, George, but take consolation in the fact that George died doing only his plain duty to the country, to you and his loved ones, and he lies in the glorious company of those others who fell that night.

I saw several actions that night worthy of V.C.’s, but things were so bad with us that every man seemed on his mettle, doing magnificent work, but quite unconscious of the fact that he was doing anything out of the ordinary.

“One old chap I’ll never forget, labelled at Broadmeadows with the name “Old Mother” Hooppell, always the butt for our jokes. He was brought in that night, from out in front, bleeding from several wounds, and on recognising anyone he would say, “Hello, so and so, old mother Hooppell’s is done for this time”, and then he’d ask, “Are our boys still holding that trench” and on being told “Yes”, he’d say, “That’s good, I’ll die happy now”.

MacDonald’s last words in his letter were “Please try and look at things as we boys wish our people would. If I can be of any help don’t fail to ask.”

Jack MacDonald was killed at Bullecourt only three months later.