MCDONALD, Hugh
| Service Number: | 2705 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 March 1916, Geelong, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 29th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Lara, Victoria, Australia, 1875 |
| Home Town: | Meredith, Golden Plains, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Horsebreaker |
| Died: | Accidental Fracture of skull, Dundee, Scotland , 6 August 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Dundee (Balgay) Cemetery, Scotland |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Meredith & District Roll of Honor, Meredith War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2705, 29th Infantry Battalion, Geelong, Vic. | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 2705, 29th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 2705, 29th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Melbourne | |
| 6 Aug 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2705, 29th Infantry Battalion, While attached to 2nd ANZAC Headquarters, was on leave in Scotland when he accidentally fell from a balcony and died from a fractured skull. |
Help us honour Hugh 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 (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Hugh McDonald was born at Lara, Victoria around 1875.
He stated on his Attestation Papers for enlistment in World War 1 that he had served in the Boer War – Commonwealth Horse. A “Hugh McDonald” aged 26 years & 6 months, born at Elko, Victoria enlisted with the Contingent for Service in South Africa on 20th January, 1902. He was a single, Boundary Rider who had been a member of the Anakie Rifle Club for 7 months. This “Hugh McDonald’s” description was listed as 5ft 5 ½ inches, medium complexion, blue eyes, brown hair with a chest measurement of 33 ½ inches. His religion was Presbyterian & his father was listed as Angus McDonald of Kalile P.O. Victoria. He was given a Regiment/Service number of 721.
Hugh McDonald married Selina Maud Trigg in 1908 in Victoria.
On 6th January, 1916 Hugh McDonald enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force stating he was a 40 year old, married (with 4 children - 1 having died), Horsebreaker when he enlisted at Geelong, Victoria.
Private Hugh McDonald, Service number 2705, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Anchises (A68) on 14th March, 1916 & disembarked at Suez around 15th April, 1916 (date not legible on service record).
He embarked from Alexandria on 21st June, 1916 on Ivernia to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 29th June, 1916. Private McDonald was marched out from 5th A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) & attached to 2nd ANZAC Headquarters as Permanent Base on 30th September, 1916.
Mrs Selina McDonald, wife of Private Hugh McDonald, wrote to Base Records on 30th April, 1917 enquiring as to any trace of her husband as “this is address he gave me 12 months come June I cannot get any answer to my letters. Last Sept. I received a card to say he was in France & never received any my letters & haven’t heard from him since. Last week one letter was returned to me stating he wasn’t with 29th Battalion. So I cannot make out where he is or what has become of him…” Base Records advised that Private Hugh McDonald was now attached to 2nd Anzac Headquarters & letters should be addressed to 2nd Anzac Headquarters, Australian Imperial Force, Abroad.
From 4th August, 1917 Private McDonald, 2nd ANZAC Headquarters, was on leave to England.
Private Hugh McDonald died on 6th August, 1917 at No. 21 Glamis Street, Dundee, Scotland from Fracture of skull.
A Court of Inquiry was held on 9th August, 1917 at Western Barracks, Dundee, Scotland for the purpose of “enquiring into and reporting on the circumstances attending the death of No. 2705 Pte Hugh McDonald, a soldier of the Australian Imperial Force.”
Finding of Court of Inquiry:
The Court having viewed the scene of occurrence, find that No. 2705 Private Hugh McDonald, 29 Battn, Australian Imperial Force, met his death at 21 Glamis Street Dundee about midnight 6/7th August 1917 by falling accidentally from a landing of the outside staircase, a distance of fourteen or fifteen feet into a paved Courtyard below, thereby sustaining a fracture of the skull. They found that Private Hugh McDonald was not on duty at the time of the accident, being on leave from France. (see full report in research)
He was buried in Dundee Western Necropolis now known as Balgay Cemetery, Dundee, Scotland – Plot number DD.4.116 and has a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.
Newspaper Report from Dundee Advertiser - 7 August, 1917:
Falls over stair in Glamis Street
An unknown Australian soldier met his death under somewhat pathetic circumstances in Dundee last night.
A local soldier while journeying home on leave met him in Edinburgh, and deceased decided to accompany him to Dundee.
They went together to the house of the Dundonian’s sister in Glamis Street, and after spending a pleasant evening the Australian left.
He had just reached the top of the stairs, however, when, it is supposed, he took the wrong turning and fell over a small railing to the basement fifteen feet below.
The Colonial landed on his head, fracturing his skull. He was taken to the Infirmary but succumbed to his injuries.
In his possession was a pass bearing the name Hugh McDonald.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/dundee.html
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