FAMILY LIFE

Donald (Don) John McDonald was born 28^th March 1893 in Murwillumbah, the son of Patrick Hector & Agnes Rose (Harrigan) McDonald. Patrick & Agnes married in Murwillumbah in 1892 and Donald is the eldest of 5 siblings. His brother Patrick enlisted in 1916 in the 47th Battalion, 5th Reinforcement

APPLICATION

Australia’s involvement in the First World War began when Britain and Germany went to war on 4 August 1914, and both Prime Minister Joseph Cook and Opposition Leader Andrew Fisher pledged full support for Britain. The outbreak of war was greeted in Australia, as in many other places, with great enthusiasm. Don enlisted just 5 days later. He was a 22-year-old fireman, eager to do his bit for the war effort. He travelled to Sydney and had his initial medical examination at Holdsworthy on 31^st August. He was 5ft 6 ¼ inches tall (1.69m), weighed 120 lbs (54kgs) with a fair complexion, blue eyes (labelled good) and brown hair. The Examining Medical Officer stated that Donald “can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service.” 

Don was Roman Catholic. His father, Patrick, of George St, Murwillumbah, was listed as his next of kin & he was assigned as a private in the 12^th reinforcements 2^nd infantry battalion with service number 3885.

On the second page of the Attestation paper he made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Donald John McDonald, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War … SO HELP ME, GOD.” 

2^ND INFANTRY BATTALION

The 2^nd was initially raised in 1914 in Randwick as part of the Australian Imperial Force during World War I. It was one of the first infantry units raised by Australia following its entry into the war. By the end of August over 20,000 men had been recruited into one infantry division. The battalion played a significant role in major campaigns, including Gallipoli and the Western Front

LIVERPOOL TRAINING CAMP

His training began soon after enlistment. Liverpool Military Camp was the main centre in New South Wales to provide basic military training. Conditions at the camp were generally poor throughout the war. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together.

Firstly, a recruit had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas

The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training would take several months.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS

His unit embarked from Sydney on board HMAT Medic on 30 December 1915. The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On-board, Officers organised rigorous training drills and exercise sessions for the men. They were expected to do their own washing, sweep the decks and carry out other chores

Attempts at breaking up the boredom, apart from the regular drill, varied. Shipboard activities included regular church parades and concerts. Troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection. Sports and recreation included boxing, deck quoits, draughts. Also, the commanding officer's morning inspection; kit inspections; submarine drill; recreation such as the on deck 'open air' library, deck billiards, pillow fighting and card games including Nap. As well, conditions on the ships were cramped and the risk of illness was constant. 

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. Many of the troops experienced bouts of seasickness on the voyage. The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

TRAINING IN EGYPT

Initially it had been planned that the Australians would be sent to the United Kingdom, where they would undertake further training prior to being sent to the Western Front in France and Belgium. However, the Ottoman Empire's entry into the war on Germany's side on 29 October meant that the strategically vital Suez Canal was threatened, and upon the convoy reaching the Suez at the end of November  they were disembarked in Egypt instead.

They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the Egyptian training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind. They began their training with physical fitness exercises, they were taught individual and unit discipline, how to follow commands, how to march, some basic field skills and how to safely handle his weapons. 

Training would be for eight hours a day six days a week. All day long, in every valley of the Sahara for miles around the Pyramids of Giza were groups or lines of men advancing, retiring, drilling or squatted near their piled arms listening to their officer. For many of the battalions many miles of desert had to be covered in the morning and evening to and from their allotted training areas. At first, to harden the troops, they wore full kit with heavy packs. Their backs became drenched with perspiration, and the bitter desert wind blew on them as they camped for their midday meal and many deaths from pneumonia were attributed to this cause.

WESTERN FRONT  

In March 1916, the unit joined the British Expeditionary Force and Don sailed from Alexandria on the Transylvania for France and the Western Front on 25^th March 1916. The unit was stationed in Etaples and their training in trench warfare began. Troops held at the base were "toughened up" while waiting dispatch to the front. Under atrocious conditions both raw recruits from England and battle-weary veterans were subjected to intensive training in gas warfare, bayonet drill, and long sessions of marching at the double across the dunes.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH MAY 1916

Don was taken on strength on 25^th May 1916

TRENCH WARFARE MARCH 1916

The soldiers now found themselves fighting the German in trench warfare. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties. Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant, and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France & Belgium, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats

The time soldiers spent in the trenches varied depending on factors like their army's rotation system and the intensity of the conflict in their sector. On average:

·      Front-line trenches: Soldiers typically remained here for about 4–6 days at a time. This was where the fighting was most intense and the conditions were the harshest.

·      Support and reserve trenches: After time on the front line, soldiers were rotated to these positions for around 6–12 days. These trenches were set further back and offered slightly better conditions.

·      Rest periods: Soldiers were then moved away from the trench system entirely for rest, training, and recovery, often lasting several weeks, depending on operational needs.

The rotation system helped prevent complete physical and mental exhaustion, but the constant dangers of trench life meant there was rarely any true respite.

ARMENTIERES JUNE 1916

In June 1916, the 2nd Battalion, AIF was still stationed in the Armentières sector on the Western Front, engaged in trench warfare operations rather than a formal, named battle. This period was part of their acclimatization to the conditions of warfare in France. The battalion was involved in patrolling, trench raids, and defensive operations near Armentières.

WOUNDED IN ACTION JUNE 1916

On 26^th June Donald was wounded in action with a gun shot wound to his heel. He remained in the field and on 28^th June was wounded again with a bomb wound to his left thigh & right arm.  He was admitted to the clearing station for his initial care.

CLEARING STATIONS

A Clearing Station was a key part of the military medical evacuation chain used by soldiers. It was set up a few miles behind the front lines, often near railways or roads and positioned far enough to be relatively safe from artillery, but close enough for rapid access

The were staffed by:

·      Army doctors and surgeons

·      Nurses (including Australian Army Nursing Service nurses)

·      Orderlies and stretcher bearers

Soldiers were often treated here and the sent to hospitals for long term care

 

HOSPITALISATION

He was admitted to the 13^th General Hospital, Boulogne and then embarked on the 2^nd July for England on the HS St George. He was admitted to the 5^th Southern General Hospital in Portsmouth

FURLOUGH & REST CAMP

He was discharged on 16^th December 1916 for furlough and repatriation. In early 1917 he was assigned to No.1 Command Depot – Perham Downs. He was classified B2 which meant he was unlikely to be fit for longer than 3 months.   He spent 1917 in the post when he continued his training. When a man had joined a unit (or if he had been with the original contingent when that unit first went overseas) his training carried on intensively when his unit was out of the line. Not only was this necessary because there was a high turnover of men in any given unit, but the tactics and technologies of the war developed very rapidly. The training syllabus and the overseas organisational structure for delivering it were developed hugely during the war. Whole new training schools developed, to which men would be sent for specialist training. Among the innovations was detailed attack practice in large and small formations. Units enjoying a period at rest would often tell immediately so-called ‘assault training’ began that they were due for inclusion in an offensive.

PROMOTED TO CORPORAL SEPTEMBER 1917

During this period, he showed enough aptitude that he was promoted to Corporal on 23^rd September.

PROMOTED TO ER SERGEANT DECEMBER 1917

On 1^st December he was promoted to ER Sergeant. An E.R. Sergeant stood for Extra Regimental Sergeant. This was not a combat-specific rank, but rather a designation of duty status or posting for a Sergeant. "E.R." indicated that the sergeant was serving outside his regular combat unit — typically on administrative, training, instructional, or support duties. These sergeants were often posted to depots, command depots, hospitals, training battalions, or headquarters units, where their experience could be used to manage operations or train other soldiers.

HOSPITALISATION PLEURISY DECEMBER 1917

On 16^th December 1917 he caught pleurisy and was admitted to the Group Clearing Hospital at Sutton Veny. Pleurisy is a medical condition involving inflammation of the pleura, the double-layered membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the chest cavity. This inflammation causes the layers to rub against each other, leading to sharp chest pain, especially during breathing, coughing, or movement.

Medical treatments were limited compared to today. Approaches included:

·      Rest & Warmth: Soldiers were removed from active duty and kept warm and dry, often in convalescent hospitals.

·      Pain Relief: Aspirin or opium-based painkillers were used to relieve pain and inflammation.

·      Blistering Agents: Old-fashioned treatments like mustard plasters or blistering agents were sometimes applied to the chest to "draw out inflammation" — a practice now considered outdated and ineffective.

·      Drainage (for Pleural Effusion): If fluid built up in the pleural cavity (pleural effusion), doctors might use a needle or surgical incision to drain it — though this was risky without antibiotics.

·      Supportive Care: Encouraging deep breathing, adequate nutrition, and isolation from others if infection was suspected (especially with TB).

COMMAND DEPOT SUTTON VENEY JANUARY 1918

Don was admitted to the rest camp at Sutton Veny on 6^th January 1918. The No. 1 Australian Command Depot was a major rehabilitation and training center for the Australian Imperial Force. It was established to receive convalescing Australian soldiers who had been wounded or were ill. It rehabilitated injured or sick soldiers, reconditioned them physically and mentally and determined whether they were fit to return to the front

HOSPITALISATION BURFORD VENEREAL DISEASE DECEMBER 1918

He was admitted to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital, Bulford for venereal disease on 2nd January 1918 and was discharged 15^TH April 1919. The sense of adventure, the loneliness, and the loss of family life that overwhelmed many of the overseas volunteers during the First World War often found them on leave in large cities or small towns where alcohol and women were plentiful, and a lack of available prophylaxis allowed the spread of diseases such as gonorrhoea and syphilis to reach epidemic levels. Historians claim that the average incidence rate for this disease in the AIF was around 12 per cent

Treatment for VD was a punishment in its own right. Special hospitals for VD patients were set up and often regarded as deterrent. Patients would be treated with Salvarsan and mercury which offered uncomfortable and sometimes serious side effects such as jaundice and convulsions. Other treatments included irrigation, which was painful and undignified resulting in many men to opt for chemical treatment instead. These long and uncomfortable stays in VD hospitals often averaged between 50 and 60 days, with most patients recovering

DISCIPLINED AND DEMOTED TO PRIVATE FEBRUARY 1919

On 29^th February 1919 he went awl for 135 days till 15^th April which resulted losing his rank as sergeant and was again a private. There is no further information in his record for 1919 except he appeared to have been in the rest camp

FURLOUGH 1920

Oddly his records show he still has the rank ER Sergeant. He was given furlough on 26^th January 1920 subject to recall.

O. R SERGEANT MARCH 1920

He was made an O.R Sergeant prior to his return to Australia. An O.R. Sergeant (Other Ranks Sergeant) on a troop ship during World War I would have played a crucial non-commissioned leadership role, ensuring discipline, order, and the welfare of enlisted men during the voyage from the front. His duties included enforcing military discipline among the soldiers on board & ensuring soldiers adhered to the ship's routine, including cleaning duties, drills, and inspections. He would conduct or assist with daily parades and roll calls to account for all men on board & report absences or disciplinary issues to officers. He would also

supervise meal queues and ensure messing arrangements were orderly & oversee cleaning and hygiene duties, critical to preventing disease outbreaks in cramped conditions. He would assist medical staff in managing sick parades, distributing supplies, and reporting illness.

Help enforce quarantine measures if disease (e.g., influenza) broke out on board & conduct physical training, drills, and lectures on deck during the voyage to maintain fitness and discipline as well as acting as a link between officers and enlisted men, relaying orders and resolving minor issues.

RETURNED HOME

Don returned to Australia on the Ceramic, disembarking 6^th May 1920 and was discharged 4^th August 1920.

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service, Arthur was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal

HOME LIFE

He married Eileen Fahey in 1921 and had 4 children. Don died on 29 October 1961, in Concord, at the age of 68, and was buried in Woronora Memorial Park, Sutherland

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