MCDONALD, Lawrence
| Service Number: | 2195 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 April 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 54th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, September 1887 |
| Home Town: | Cobar, Cobar, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Wounds, Horton War Hospital, Epsom, England, United Kingdom, 7 July 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Pirbright, Surrey, England, United Kingdom Plot XI, Row F, Grave . 15 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Apr 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2195, 54th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Aug 1916: | Involvement Private, 2195, 54th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Boorara embarkation_ship_number: A42 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Aug 1916: | Embarked Private, 2195, 54th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Boorara, Sydney | |
| 15 May 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2195, 54th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second), SW legs and arms DoW Horton War Hospital, England |
Help us honour Lawrence McDonald's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography 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 – 7th July…… Lawrence McDonald was born at Ballarat, Victoria (details from Attestation Papers) to parents Alexander (Alex/Alick) & Sarah McDonald (nee Marks).
[According to several Family Trees on Ancestry - Lawrence McDonald was born in 1892 at Lexton, Victoria. One tree has his date of birth as 21st August, 1892. There is no record of a birth for a “Lawrence McDonald” with father Alexander listed on Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages between 1880 & 1900. There is however a birth for a “Linden McDonald” with parents Alex & Sarah McDonald registered in Lexton in 1892.]
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 15th April, 1916 as a 28 year old, single, Labourer from Court House Hotel, Cobar, NSW.
Private Lawrence McDonald, Service number 2195, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Boorara (A42) on 19th August, 1916 with the 54th Infantry Battalion, 4th Reinforcements. He missed his Transport at Capetown on 21st September, 1916 & re-embarked on Botanist at Capetown on 29th September, 1916. Private McDonald was written up for a Crime while at Sea on 29th September, 1916 “Absenting himself from H. T. Boorara for 144 hours.” This was admonished by O/C Troops & he forfeited 6 days’ pay. Private McDonald disembarked at Plymouth, England on 19th October, 1916.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
On 14th December, 1916 Private McDonald proceeded overseas to France from 14th Training Battalion. He was marched in to 5th D.B.D. (Divisional Base Depot) at Etaples, France on 15th December, 1916 from England. Private McDonald was marched out from 5th Australian Divisional Base Depot on 23rd December, 1916 & joined 54th Battalion in France on 24th December, 1916 from Reinforcements.
Private Lawrence McDonald was wounded in action in France on 15th May, 1917. He was admitted to 8th Field Ambulance with “H.E. Legs & Arm” then transferred the same day to 3rd Casualty Clearing Station. Private McDonald was transferred to 2nd Australian General Hospital at Wimereux on 17th May, 1917 with “H.E. Legs & L. Arm.” He was transferred to Boulogne on 20th May, 1917 & embarked for England on Hospital Ship St. Patrick on the same day.
Information from War Diary of 54th Battalion for 15th May, 1917:
During the early morning our front line and support trenches were subjected to a heavy bombardment from enemy artillery, also their minenwerfer and pineapple bombs…..
The total count of casualties was : Killed 61, Wounded 201 (including 4 officers), Died of wounds 9, missing 11…..
(Extract of War Diary from the Australian War Memorial)
He was admitted to Horton County of London War Hospital, Epsom, England on 20th May, 1917 with G.S.W. (gunshot wounds) to both Legs & Right Arm – severe. The Hospital Admissions form recorded: “G.S.W. R & L Leg & L Arm.” “GSW __ leg 1. Frac Fibula 2. Haem___ ___. __leg went gangrenous. Amp R joint 21st. Septicaemia….”
Result of an Xray on 4th June, 1916 on right Leg & Foot of Private Lawrence McDonald: “There are two substantial pieces of metal just above ankle on posterior aspect and there is a fracture of the Fibula.”
Private Lawrence McDonald died at 11.30 pm on 7th July, 1917 at Horton (County of London) War Hospital, Epsom, Surrey, England from wounds received in action in France – G.S.W. Legs, Acute Osteo Myelitis & Septicaemia.
He was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England where around 360 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/mac---mon.html
Click images to start slideshow.