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Harry McDonald
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1888 |
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Place of birth: Fulford, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Labourer |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: G/52177 |
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Enlistment place: Hemsworth, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — The Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment), 1/8th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 16/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Nonne Bosschen, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 29 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 114A |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 05/05/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 05/05/1920 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Harry McDonald was a labourer from Fulford, East Riding of Yorkshire. He was born around 1888 and was the son of George and Rebecca McDonald. He married his girlfriend Lily Fairburn in July 1914, at the advent of the Great War. They had two sons together: Harry and Peter. Harry enlisted for the army in Hemsworth, West Riding of Yorkshire and was drafted in the West Yorkshire Regiment. By the summer of 1917 Harry served with the 1/8th Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex) Regiment, part of the 167th Brigade, of the 56th (1st London) Division.
On 16 August 1917 the 1/8th Middlesex participated in the Battle of Langemark, the second stage of the Battle of Passchendaele. Harry’s Battalion was the first to advance. It was on the left flank of the Divisional front. Their goal was to capture the first objective at Polygon Wood. Zero hour was at 4.45 a.m. The ground was terribly boggy and the Battalion experienced much difficulty in keeping touch with the 2nd London Regiment on their right. One hour in the attack “B” and “C” Companies were held up at the Nonne Bosschen Wood in front of Polygon Wood. Another hour later “A” Company - on the utter right flank of the Battalion – reported to be pinned down owing to machine-gun fire and stated that troops on the right were falling back. Machine-guns, which had been sent up to reinforce the right flank never arrived. The 1/8th Middlesex now started to dig in under heavy shellfire and parties of various regiments who were retreating past the Middlesex, were ordered to reinforce the position of the 1/8th in the Nonne Bosschen. However this was to no avail, as both flanks of the Battalion were up in the air. In danger of being cut off by the Germans, they had no choice then to retreat to positions on the Westhoek Ridge.
Private Harry McDonald was killed in action on the 16th of August 1917. He possibly fell during the fighting at the Nonne Bosschen, leaving behind a wife and two young boys. The 29-year-old has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
On 16 August 1917 the 1/8th Middlesex participated in the Battle of Langemark, the second stage of the Battle of Passchendaele. Harry’s Battalion was the first to advance. It was on the left flank of the Divisional front. Their goal was to capture the first objective at Polygon Wood. Zero hour was at 4.45 a.m. The ground was terribly boggy and the Battalion experienced much difficulty in keeping touch with the 2nd London Regiment on their right. One hour in the attack “B” and “C” Companies were held up at the Nonne Bosschen Wood in front of Polygon Wood. Another hour later “A” Company - on the utter right flank of the Battalion – reported to be pinned down owing to machine-gun fire and stated that troops on the right were falling back. Machine-guns, which had been sent up to reinforce the right flank never arrived. The 1/8th Middlesex now started to dig in under heavy shellfire and parties of various regiments who were retreating past the Middlesex, were ordered to reinforce the position of the 1/8th in the Nonne Bosschen. However this was to no avail, as both flanks of the Battalion were up in the air. In danger of being cut off by the Germans, they had no choice then to retreat to positions on the Westhoek Ridge.
Private Harry McDonald was killed in action on the 16th of August 1917. He possibly fell during the fighting at the Nonne Bosschen, leaving behind a wife and two young boys. The 29-year-old has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 5
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"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 50-53. Sources used |
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Further reference |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/833681/mcdonald,-harry/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
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War Diary The Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment), 1/8th Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |