Donaldson Alan Keith 1892

Alan Keith Donaldson

1892-1964

Father Nm: William Donaldson 1853–1921
BIRTH 1853
DEATH 17 JANUARY 1921

Mother Nm: Maria Tonkin 1855–1950
BIRTH 17 FEBRUARY 1855 • Fremantle, Fremantle City, Western Australia, Australia
DEATH 31 JULY 1950 • Western Australia

Marriage Dt: 1920Perth WA

K comments:

Spouse comments: Phyllis Irene Blinco [6930] born 14.5.1894 Fremantle died 10.8.1967 Narrogin Australia

Children. Brian 1930, plus 3 other children

BORN 1892

8 Oct 1892 in Fremantle, Western Australia

WW1

Alan Keith Donaldson Lieutenant, C Coy, 51st Infantry Battalion (WA) 13th Brigade, 4th Division, Australian Imperial Forces

1915

• 29 December. Attested at Blackboy Hill W.A., he was 23 years old,  occupation Assistant Traveller and had previously served 3 years with the Cadets.

1916

• 4 Jan. Sent to Signal School
• Mar. A record exists that shows Alan returning from the UK to Australia in March 1916 no date of the return but record indicates;1916 Arrival, First name(s) A K Sergt, Last name Donaldson, Age 25, Birth year 1891, Departure port British, Arrival year 1916, Arrival month Mar, Arrival port -, Ship name Malwa, State Victoria, Record set Victoria inward passenger lists 1839-1923
• 16 May. To be 2nd Lieut.
• 15 November . arrived Plymouth
• 17 November. Transferred to the 13th Training Battalion and sent for Officers Training.

1917

• 28 January. Attending Officers training course of instruction at Tidworth from 13th Training Bn.
• 17 March onwards. Spells in Hospital in 1917 at Belfast and Harrogate  suffering Myalgia
• 25 September. Part of the 5th Reinforcements for the 51st Bn. Alan departs on the troopship HMAT Uganda and travelled to Plymouth in England.
• 15 November. Arrived Plymouth
• 6 December. Embarks for France lands at le Havre
• 15 December. Joins the 51st Battalion in the field at Templeux-la-Fosse half way between peronne and Epehy in the Somme. The 51st Bn mainly digging trenches and training at Moislans in a quiet area at this time.

  

1918

• 9 January. Marched to Peronne and entrained for Bailleul  100kms north to the Belgium border. From there set to work at Ridgewood Camp east of Messines . Map ref Sheet 28 O.4.

  

• 9-18 February. Front line to relieve the 49th Bn at Spoil Bank.

  

• February 19-end of month. Larchwood Camp . Casualties 3 men killed.
• March. Training and rest at Locre  . 23 March moved by motor bus to Dernaville in the Somme.
• 26 Mar. Promoted to Lieut.
• 2-4 Apr. The Battle of Dernacourt.  German Spring Offensive. The Bn Positioned at Dernancourt 3.5 kms south of Albert was bombarded by heavy German shelling in this period. This being the preliminary for a second German Attack.
• 5 Apr.The Bn. support of the 52nd Bn who were under heavy attack of the enemy.

• 

• 9 April to Vaux en Somme.
• 11-22 April. Corbie.
• 23 April . Querrieu.
• 24 April.  Ordered to move to counter-attack on enemy positions at Villers Brettoneux as German forces with tanks for the first time capture Villers
• 25 April. Villers Bretonneux. Alan a 2nd Lieut. was in charge of a platoon of C Coy 51st Bn. 13th Brigade advance on the town and capture the enemy troops and effectively end the German Spring advance into allied territory. “The Australian brigades enveloped Villers-Bretonneux and attempted to join forces to the east of the town. They were unable to join up in the dark and many Germans managed to escape. After dawn, the gap was gradually closed and Australians entered the town from the east and British from the north and west. Villers-Bretonneux was cleared of enemy troops on 25 April 1918, the third anniversary of the Anzac landing at Gallipoli. This action marked the effective end of the German offensive that had commenced so successfully more than a month earlier.”²

  

  

• April. Casualties for the month 131 men killed or died of wounds,  the vast majority in the battle for Villers Bretonneux. As a result of the loss of officers on 30 April Alan was promoted to Lieutenant. See in Gallery, the group photo of 51st Bn. Officers prior to the battle at Villers.
• May. 4 May  L’Abbe. Front line, Shelled  Casualties 11 May. Villers Bretonneux 14 May. Blagny Tronville. Casualties for the month 16 men killed.
• 14 June. Invalided to No 3 General Hospital Le Treport.

  

   

• 6 July . Alan rejoined 51st Bn. at Daours on the Somme. Training at Clisy later in the month.
• 20 August to 9 September leave in UK.
• 11-13  September. Poeuilly. 51st Bn attacked on the line of the Peronne-St Quentin Railway 14 Sept Vermand. Casualties for the month 12 men killed.
• 12 -20 October. Training Course
• 20 November. Leave to Paris.

1919

• 12 January-8 February On leave in London.
• 22 April. Departed 51st Bn at Aiseau France and arrived in England.
• 1 May -15 July Camp Commandant No 9 Camp at Hurdcott

  

   

• August return to Australia on HMS Macedonia

  

MEDALS

SOURCES

1. 1. Ancestry  and BFA database
   2. Australian War Musuem Villers Brettoneux

AFTER THE WAR

1939 CENSUS

 

WW2

Alan Keith Donaldson Captain 10th Battalion Narrogin VDC.

1942

• 27 July . Joined as Lieutenant age 51 years.
• November. Newspaper article gives some insight into the activities of the VDC.

  

1943

• 28 July. Promoted to Captain of 10th Narrowgin VDC

 

1945

• Mon 26 Nov 1945 elected Councillor Bunbury District

Medals

DEATH 1964

27 Feb 1964
BURIAL
Narrogin Cemetery
Narrogin, Narrogin Town, Western Australia, Australia

GALLERY