Great War Dundee
This is Dundee's story of those that served in the First World War, and of the people left at home
George Donald
Military Information
- Date of enlistment: September 1915
- Place of enlistment:
- Service no: 22881
- Rank: Private
- Service Occupation:
- Awards:
- Regiment/Service: Royal Scots
- Unit/Ship: 11th Battalion
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 1895
- Place of Birth: Dundee
- Address: 14 Ashbank Rd, Dundee
- Occupation: Plumber
- Mother:
Catherine Shaw
- Father:
William Donald
- Siblings:
George, William, John, James, Catherine, Winifred, Betsy, Florence, Charlotte & George
- Spouse:
Mabel
- Children:
William & 1 other child (name unknown)
- Age at Death: 92
- Date of Death: 1988
- Place of Death: Royal Sunnyside Hospital, Montrose
- Burial Country:
- Cemetery:
More about George Donald
George was the brother of Sgt Peter Donald, 146217, Army Service Corps.
George Donald was born in 1895, one of 13 brothers and sisters. His parents were William Donald and Catherine Shaw and he was brought up at Rowanbank, 43 Rankine Street, Dundee. He trained as a plumber with his father’s plumbing business.
Military number 22881. George enlisted in September 1915 with the Royal Scots who were attached to the 9th Division (Scottish). He was involved in Delville Wood/Longueval in 1916. In 1917 the regiment were in Arras and took part in the 1st and 2nd Battles of the Scarpe, then the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendale) In 1918 they were involved in the German Spring Offensive (Lys) and the Final Advance in Flanders. He was home in July 1919 and may have been stationed at the Cologne Bridgehead as part of the Occupation of the Rhineland prior to this.
On returning home he took over his father’s plumbing business, married and had two children. Sadly he suffered from shell shock and spent a great deal of his life in the Royal Sunnyside Hospital in Montrose. His son, William was killed at the age of 22 in 1945 as a Fighter Pilot with the RAF when his plane was shot down over Reichswald Forest in Germany. George died in Sunnyside in 1988 at the age of 92.
His son William was killed in action, 4th April 1945, flying a Hawker Tempest V, aircraft. He is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. Plot 14.A.16
Flying Officer (Fighter Pilot)
Service No. 153796
Royal Air Force 222 (Natal) Squadron
Information kindly supplied by his Great niece Patricia Illsley. Images courtesy of WFA. Gravemarker image courtesy of Stefan, findagrave.com
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