The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (19119) Driver Arthur McDonald, 110th Australian Howitzer Battery, AIF, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Charis May, the story for this day was on (19119) Driver Arthur McDonald, 110th Australian Howitzer Battery, AIF, First World War.

19119 Driver Arthur McDonald, 110th Australian Howitzer Battery, AIF
KIA 14 June 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 5 September 2015

Today we remember and pay tribute to Driver Arthur McDonald.

Arthur McDonald was born in 1887 to Robert and Agnes McDonald, one of two sons. He was born in Milton on the New South Wales South Coast. Agnes died in 1902, and Robert later married Rebekah, who treated the boys as her own. The family lived in Wahroonga, Sydney, and Arthur was educated at Newington College in the inner west. He went on to work in real estate and formed a company with Mr A.E. Gray in offices on Oxford Street.

McDonald enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in January 1916. He entered the artillery and began an extended period of training in Australia and, later, England. He arrived in France to fight on the Western Front in January 1917. Four months later his father died.

McDonald first served with the 3rd Divisional Artillery Details before transferring to the 10th Field Artillery Brigade as a gunner. In March he made his final transfer, to the 10th Australian Howitzer Battery, where he served with the rank of driver.

Life in the artillery was dangerous. The enemy constantly searched for Australian guns, hoping to put them out of action, and the men endured explosives and other dangerous material on a daily basis.

On 14 June 1917 McDonald’s battery was stationed near Messines in Belgium. A dump of ammunition stood nearby in order to supply the guns as they were fired. At some point a German shell hit this dump and it went up in a massive explosion, killing 16 men outright. Another three would die of their wounds, and six other men were wounded.

Driver McDonald was one of those killed in the blast. His name appears on a nearby monument erected by his comrades, and he is buried in Kandahar Farm Cemetery in Belgium. He was 30 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among more than 60,000 Australians who died during the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Driver Arthur McDonald, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.

Dr Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section