Lt
Donald William Renwick
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1894 |
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Place of birth: Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Lieutenant |
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Units: — North Staffordshire Regiment 1st Bn. (Last known unit) — North Staffordshire Regiment 3rd Bn. |
Information about death
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Date of death: 14/06/1917 |
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Place of death: Transport Farm, Zillebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Died of wounds (D.O.W.) |
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Age: 23 |
Cemetery
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Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm) Plot: Special Memorial Row: A Grave: 15 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Donald William Renwick was born in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, in July 1894, the eldest son of William Renwick and Annie Bramall. He had a brother, David and a sister, Dorothy. As a 20-year-old, he enlisted and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment, and later transferred to the 1st Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment, part of the 72nd Brigade in the 24th Division of the British Expeditionary Force.
In June 1917, the 24th Division was involved in the Battle of Wytschaete-Messines, when the ridge south of Ypres was taken after 19 mines were detonated under German positions. The division remained in the area to prepare for the next phase of the Flanders offensive, which would rundown on the heights of Passchendaele.
In the trenches near Mount Sorrel, where the North Staffordshire Regiment was at work, the men were under constant artillery fire. The German artillery did all it could to disrupt the preparatory work. On 12 June, the regiment's commander, Lieutenant Colonel Dugmore and his second-in-command, Captain Robinson, were both killed by the same shell. After the battalion was relieved, during the funeral service for the two officers on 14 June 1917, disaster struck again, a shell exploded nearby and a shrapnel flew over 3oo yards to settle in Donald's heart.
Later that day, 2nd Lieutenant Donald William Renwick, aged 22, succumbed to his wounds. He was buried at the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm) near Zillebeke, south of Ypres.
In June 1917, the 24th Division was involved in the Battle of Wytschaete-Messines, when the ridge south of Ypres was taken after 19 mines were detonated under German positions. The division remained in the area to prepare for the next phase of the Flanders offensive, which would rundown on the heights of Passchendaele.
In the trenches near Mount Sorrel, where the North Staffordshire Regiment was at work, the men were under constant artillery fire. The German artillery did all it could to disrupt the preparatory work. On 12 June, the regiment's commander, Lieutenant Colonel Dugmore and his second-in-command, Captain Robinson, were both killed by the same shell. After the battalion was relieved, during the funeral service for the two officers on 14 June 1917, disaster struck again, a shell exploded nearby and a shrapnel flew over 3oo yards to settle in Donald's heart.
Later that day, 2nd Lieutenant Donald William Renwick, aged 22, succumbed to his wounds. He was buried at the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm) near Zillebeke, south of Ypres.
Sources 5
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1 Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 95/2213/1). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 372). Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Halfpenny J., History of The 1st&2nd Battalions, The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales') 1914-1923, (Longton, The Royal Press, sn),51-53. Sources used |
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UK, World War I Service Medal and Awards Rolls, 1914-1920(The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 329). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
More information 2
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/490529 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=0bd0b582-90ef-48a5-b852-a63c795eabbd |