Donaldson, Norman Francis

No.412 – Pte Norman Francis Donaldson – 28^th Battalion AIF

Norman Francis Donaldson was born in Collingwood Victoria on the 3^rd March 1896 to Eliza and Hugh Donaldson. He had one older sibling called Mary who was born in 1895 and the family left Victoria while the kids were still young and moved across to Western Australia. Norm was educated at New Norcia School and later spent 5 years in the senior cadets when he moved to Fremantle. He later took up work as a Clerk and lived in High Street Fremantle.

On March 4^th 1915 aged 19 he went to the Perth Drill Hall and enlisted into the AIF. He was passed as fit with the medical officer finding Norm to be 5 feet 8 ½ inches tall; weight of 130 lbs; chest measurement of 33-35 inches; medium complexion; light brown hair and medium colour hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic. Initially allotted to No.11 Depot Company, on the 16^th April 1915 Norm was assigned to C Company of the 28^th Battalion AIF.

He trained with the 28^th Battalion in WA until they embarked from Fremantle Harbour on the H.M.A.T. “Ascanius” on the 29^th June 1915. After arriving in Egypt the Battalion trained for about another month and were then ordered to proceed to the Dardanelles. 

Leaving Alexandria on the 4^th September 1915, the Battalion made its way to Gallipoli where they disembarked and were sent to the northern portion of the Anzac Battlefield such as The Apex and Rhododendron Spur. On the 9^th October 1915 Norm was evacuated to 7^th Field Ambulance with dysentery but returned to duty three days later. On the 9^th November Norm was admitted to the 13^th Casualty Clearing Station with diarrhoea and remained there till the 21^st November, after which time he returned to his unit. Norm remained with the 28^th Battalion for the rest of the Gallipoli campaign which was just a few weeks. The 28^th Battalion was withdrawn from Gallipoli in December and sent to Mudros where they spent the rest of 1915.

On the 10^th January 1916 the 28^th Battalion returned to Alexandria and would spend the next three months training in Egypt. On the 16^th March 1916 the 28^th Battalion as part of the 2^nd Division embarked for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 21^st March 1916. Upon arrival the men were put onto trains and sent to the North of France to an area just south of Armentieres.

The 28^th Battalion were to spend the next three months in this area. On the 5^th June 1916 Norm was wounded by shrapnel in the foot and after evacuation by the 6^th Field Ambulance went to No.8 Casualty Clearing Station. He was sent further back to the Australian Hospital at Wimereux where his wound was assessed and he was marked for evacuation to England. On the 18^th June he left France and was shipped across to England and after admitted to the County of London War Hospital. He remained here through June and July and on the 4^th August was transferred to Tidworth Camp where he was marked as Class “A” for return to France.

However Norm spent another month in England and only departed on the 4^th September 1916. After arriving at Etaples he was marched into the 2^nd Australian Division Base Depot where he spent 13 days. On the 19^th September 1916 he marched out to rejoin the 28^th Battalion. Norm rejoined them when they were resting in Steenvorde Belgium after their strenuous ordeal at Pozieres in July/August 1916.

Unfortunately the Battalion’s rest was not to last long as in October they received orders to proceed once again to the Somme. From the 3^rd -6^th November 1916 the 28^th Battalion took part in operations against the German held line at Flers. The attackers had to wade through mud and slush and the assault did not succeed.

On the 7^th November 1916 Norm was wounded in the knee by shrapnel and was evacuated back by the 15^th Field Ambulance to the 36^th Casualty Clearing Station. His wound was dressed and Norm was sent to No.6 General Hospital at Rouen. His wound was assessed to be serious enough for evacuation to England and on the 14^th November 1916 left Le Havre for England. Norm was admitted to No.1 Southern General Hospital where he stayed for a month. On the 12^th December he was transferred to the 2^nd Auxiliary Hospital. Four days later he went to No.2 Command Depot at Weymouth and on the 8^th January 1917 to AIF Depot at Perham Downs Camp. Norm was to spend the next three months here, though on the 26^th March he got into trouble for going absent without leave for three days. As a punishment he was given 4 days of Field Punishment No. 2 and had to forfeit seven days pay.

On the 28^th March 1917 Norm left England and proceeded over to France. Arriving at Etaples on the 29^th March he was marched into the 2^nd Australians Division Base Depot where he spent a few more days. On the 31^st March 1917 he left Etaples and joined the 28^th Battalion on the 1^st April 1917. Norm served with the 28^th Battalion through the 2^nd Battle of Bullecourt on the 3^rd May 1917 and came through unscathed. The 28^th Battalion as part of the 2^nd Division were then pulled out of the line for a well deserved rest. The rest would be of a few months duration and it was only in late August that they began to move back towards the front. The next main action the 28^th Battalion would be involved in was the Third Battle of Ypres.

On September 20^th 1917 the 28^th Battalion took part in the Battle of Menin Road, which was a successful assault with objectives taken. The 28^th were again involved on October 4^th during the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge. Norm along with Pte Victor Pyke and Henry Nolan were in a carrying party, and according to their Sgt Ellverson;

“and after we were finished, we were ordered to dig in as best we could at the dump – Mule Dump near Zonnebeke. There was very heavy shelling that night and the whole place was turned upside down. In the morning these three men were not to be found, and have not been seen since. The only conclusion possible is that they were blown up and buried.”

None of the three were located then or at the end of the war with the result that Norm and his two mates are named on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. He was survived by his mother and sister Mary Veronica Donaldson. In 1920 Mary married returned soldier Charles Bertrand Alexander.