Donald, William James

William James Donald was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, on 26 June 1894. He was the third of George and Mary Donald’s six children.

A clerk, Donald enlisted in the 24th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Victoria Rifles of Canada) in Montréal, Quebec, on 6 January 1915. After completing initial training in Canada, he travelled to England with his unit on SS Cameronia, arriving there on 20 May 1915. He received further training in Folkestone, Kent, and then embarked for France on 15 September 1915, arriving in Boulogne a day later.

Donald was transferred to the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade Machine Gun Company on 24 December 1915 and joined the unit on Christmas Day. On 26 May 1916, he was wounded in the left arm by shrapnel. He received medical treatment and returned to his unit five days later.

In late October 1916, Donald was attached to the Canadian Corps Headquarters. This attachment became a formal transfer on 9 May 1917, when he became a clerk in the staff administrative branch. He was promoted to the rank of corporal the same day. A month later, he was promoted to acting sergeant, without additional pay.

Donald relinquished the rank of acting sergeant on 31 January 1918, when he was transferred to Shorncliffe, Kent, for training with a view to being granted a commission. He successfully gained his commission on 5 June 1918.

On 23 August 1918, Donald was transferred to the 47th Canadian Infantry Battalion. He joined the unit in France on 1 September 1918. Less than a month later, on 28 September 1918, he was killed in action by enemy machine gun fire during the Battle of the Canal du Nord.

William James Donald is buried in Quarry Wood Cemetery, Sains-lès-Marquion, France.