Peter Donaldson likeness

Peter Donaldson cap badgePrivate Peter Donaldson

8th (Service) Battalion Seaforth Highlanders
Service No: S/3847

Peter Donaldson grave

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Personal details

Family Information

Only son of Peter and Martha Donaldson of 326 East Muiryhall St, Coatbridge. From the 1901 Census - 113 Aitcheson St, New Monkland - Peter Donaldson aged 38, Martha Donaldson aged 38, Peter Donaldson aged 7, Martha Donaldson aged 5 and Jane Donaldson aged 3. Peter's Pension was awarded to his mother Martha and father Peter on the 13/02/1918.

Born / Resided

Airdrie / 326 East Muiryhall St, Coatbridge.

Died

Killed in Action on the 01/08/1917 near Frezenberg at the Battle of Pilckem Ridge (phase of the 3rd Battles of Ypres / Passchendaele)

Enlisted

Airdrie 1915

Employed

Hudsons Boiler Works, Coatdyke.

Age

23

Buried / Remembered

Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 38), West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, often referred to simply as the Menin Gate, bears the names of more than 54,000 soldiers who died before 16 August 1917 and have no known grave. Between October 1914 and September 1918 hundreds of thousands of servicemen of the British Empire marched through the town of Ypres's Menin Gate on their way to the battlefields. The memorial now stands as a reminder of those who died who have no known grave and is perhaps one of the most well-known war memorials in the world. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

Additional Information

Peter arrived at Boulogne with the 7th (Service) Battalion Seaforth Highlanders on the 10/05/1915. They were part of the 26th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division. The 8th (Service) Battalion arrived at Boulogne in July 1915 and were part of the 44th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division when Peter fell. Peter was killed near Frezenberg during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge which was the beginning of the Battles of Ypres (Passchendaele), 31st July - 10th November 1917 : The British finally got what they had wanted since 1914, the opportunity to attack at Ypres and breakout of the confines of the salient of trenches around it. Often known as the Third Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele, the offensive began with encouraging gains but terrible summer weather soon bogged it down. By August the offensive was clearly failing in its objectives and had descended into attritional fighting. New techniques by both sides led to agonisingly slow forward movement for the British, at enormous cost in casualties to both sides. Bad weather in October led to the battlefield becoming an impossible quagmire. SEE PHOTOS x 16 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY JULY - AUGUST 1917. Peter was twice wounded and he was gassed at Loos in 1915. He was a prominent boxer and member of the Monkland Athletic Club in Airdrie. He won the Monkland Cup and he also won a silver trophy when boxing in France with the Highland Brigade. He also boxed 15 times for the Prince of Wales Aid Fund. Peter is also remembered on the Trinity Parish Church Roll of Honour and on the Airdrie War Memorial x 2 (see photos). See photos for Peter's Medal Index Card, inside the Menin Gate Memorial, Peter's name on the Menin Gate Memorial x 2, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Menin Gate Memorial Panel List, Peter's Pension Records x 3 and the Seaforth Highlanders Cap Badge. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 6 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 2 and Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 2). a map showing the gradual eastwards advance from Ypres, the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, an advanced British 18 pounder Royal Field Artillery gun battery taking up new positions close to a communication trench near Boesinghe, 31 July 1917, PHOTOS x 35 FOR THE 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK 16th JUNE - 3rd AUGUST 1917 and the 15th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 13 (the Division he was with when he died).

Photos
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War Diaries

The battalion War Diary is available on the National Archives website.

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