Donaldson, Alan Keith

Lieutenant Alan Keith Donaldson - 51st Battalion AIF

Alan Keith Donaldson was born in Fremantle WA on the 8th October 1892 to William and Maria Donaldson. He was one of six siblings with, Jessie 1887, James 1888, William 1889, Bertram 1891 and Jean 1894.

He was initially educated in Fremantle but then the family moved to Claremont in the 1900's. By 1914 Alan was living at Bay Road Claremont and was working as a warehouse assistant. Prior to the Great War Alan had also served in the Cadets and spent three years as a member of the Citizens Military Forces.

On the 29th November 1915 Alan enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in Kalgoorlie. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 6 inches tall;

Weight - 158lbs;

Chest Measurement - 34-37 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Sandy.

After his successful enlistment Alan was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.39 Training Depot. He spent a few days there before he was sent to the Signal School. 

While training at Blackboy Hill Camp Alan applied for a commission into the AIF. He was accepted for this and further training ensued to see if he passed the Officer course.

In May 1916 Alan was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Australian Imperial Force and was assigned to the 5th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion. He trained with this group in WA for the next few months.

On the 20th September 1916 Alan received his orders to entrain his reinforcement group to Fremantle Harbour. They then boarded the transport ship Uganda and set sail for England. After the long sea journey the ship arrived at Plymouth England on the 15th November 1916.

Alan and his men were then disembarked and sent to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford. He remained there till the 28th January 1917 when he was sent to Tidworth for an Officers Course of Instruction. This course lasted until the 22nd February 1917 and then Alan returned to the 13th Training Battalion.

While on leave to Belfast Ireland on the 17th March 1917 Alan fell ill and was sent to Hospital. He was diagnosed with myalgia. He remained in hospital in Belfast till the 30th May 1917. He was then transferred to a Military Hospital in Harrogate.

On the 20th July 1917 Alan returned to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford Camp. He would remain with the Training Battalion in England for the next few months. On the 6th December 1917 Alan was sent to France.

He spent several days at the 4th Australian Division Base Depot Camp and was taken on strength of the 51st Battalion on the 15th December 1917. The 51st Battalion was currently near Peronne in France but in January 1918 returned to Belgium where they would spend the next few months holding the front line south east of Ypres near Hollebeke.

On the 21st March 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive which broke through the British line in France. As a result the Australian Divisions were sent south from Belgium to the Somme river sector to help stop this rapid advance.

The 51st Battalion arrived near Bresle and Albert around March 26th 1918. Alan was promoted to Lieutenant the same day. Over the next few days in late March and early April 1918 the 51st Battalion saw action around Albert and Dernancourt. The Germans were stopped in this sector but at a high cost in casualties to the Australians.

The Germans attempted another advance on April 24th 1918 and captured the vital town of Villers-Bretonneux. The 51st Battalion was one of the units sent to counter attack and reclaim the captured area. On April24/25th 1918 the 51st conducted a counter attack, and in conjunction with other Australian and British units, recaptured Villers-Bretonneux. However casualties had been very heavy for the 51st Battalion but fortunately Alan came through unscathed. Another Officer in his "C" Company, Lt Clifford Sadlier was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in this battle.

The 51st Battalion remained in the Villers-Bretonneux and Somme region for the next few months. On the 14th June 1918 Alan was evacuated ill. Initially labelled as a pyrexia of unknown origin he was later diagnosed with influenza. He was sent to the 3rd General Hospital at le Treport to recover.

Alan did recover well and he returned to the 51st battalion on the 15th July 1918.  Alan took part in the August 8th advance with his unit, though they were initially in reserve they then advanced north of the Somme River towards the village of Bray.

However on the 20th August 1918 Alan was given a two week furlough to the UK. He then returned to the 51st battalion on the 10th September 1918. The 51st Battalion fought their last action of the war on the 18th September 1918 at le Verguier and Alan came through unscathed.

The 51st Battalion was then withdrawn for a well deserved rest period. On the 5th October 1918 Alan was sent to the Army Musketry School for a period of instruction. He returned to his unit on the 27th October 1918 and was still with them when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.

When the Germans withdrew to behind their own borders, the Australian units were sent into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France.

On the 20th November 1918 Alan was granted leave to Paris and returned on the 4th December 1918. He remained with his unit for the next month but o the 12th January 1918 was granted three weeks leave to the UK.

Alan returned to France and rejoined the 51st battalion on the 8th February 1919. He remained with his unit till the 22nd April 1919 when he was sent back to England to await for repatriation.

Alan was sent to No.4 Command Group Camp at Hurdcott and was then put of the staff of the AIF Command Group of Camps staff in the UK. He was on this duty till August 1919. He then waited to be assigned a berth on a troopship home.

On the 31st October 1919 Alan boarded the troopship Macedonia and set sail for home. The ship reached Bombay India and the Australians were disembarked and sent to another ship HMAT Medic reaching Fremantle on the 19th December 1919.

Alan was discharged from the AIF on the 6th February 1920.

Alan was married on the 10th April 1920 to Phyllis Irene Blinco and they had Madge in 1921, Kelvin in 1923 and Brian in 1930.

Sadly Alan's father died in 1921. Initially living in Claremont in 1925 the family moved to Popanyinning where Alan worked as a storekeeper. This small town is in the wheatbelt of WA, located between Narrogin and Pingelly.

While he was initially a storekeeper, Alan soon turned his hand to farming and he was living here through to the 1960's.

Alan also saw service during World War Two. He enlisted in Narrogin on the 25th May 1942 and was assigned the service number W74043. He served with the 10th Narrogin Battalion VDC. He initially served as a Lieutenant and then was promoted to the rank of Captain. He was demobilised in October 1945.

Alan's mother died in Claremont in 1950. 

Alan died on the 27th February 1964 at Hollywood Hospital aged 72. He was buried at Narrogin Cemetery.