Rank
Lieutenant
Medals
British War Medal, Victory Medal (not confirmed)
Regiment
Canadian Infantry, 7th Battalion
Military Service
In January 1900 MacDonald was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery and is found stationed at Dover Castle next year when the census was taken. He served in the RGA for ten years according to his enlistment papers in 1915 but little is known about his service. By 1906 he had reached the rank of Lieutenant and in February that year he was appointed Adjutant to the 1st Renfrew and Dumbarton Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers) with the temporary rank of Captain. In 1908 he was still serving as adjutant and as a result of the conversion of the Volunteer Force into the Territorial Force that year he transferred to the 3rd Highland (Howitzer) Brigade (TF). It is not known exactly when he left the RGA but in March 1910 he arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on his way to Mannville, Alberta.
When the First World War broke out MacDonald enlisted on 6th August 1915 at Edmonton, Alberta six weeks after the death of his father. Apart from the basic facts of his enlistment, details of his service are unknown. It is not known when he went to Europe but it may have been as part of the 1st Canadian Reserve Battalion which reinforced the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion which had been serving in France since February 1915 in the 2nd Canadian Brigade of the 1st Canadian Division. The Division took part in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and MacDonald may have been present at these engagements before taking part in the Battle of Vimy which started on 9th April 1917. The war diaries of the 7th Battalion are on line but it has proved impossible to trace GB MacDonald in them (there is at least one other Macdonald in the Battalion).
Born
Death
12th April 1917
Circumstances of death
Died of wounds.
Macdonald was wounded on either 9th or 10th April.
Age
37
Burial
Wimereux Communal Cemetery, III. E. 4.
CWGC Information
Son of John and Margaret Macdonald, of 6 Spring Gardens, Glasgow.
Parents
John MacDonald (1836-1915) & Margaret Cameron (1836-1924), married 1865
Fathers Occupation
John Macdonald & Son, coal masters, 18 Renfield St. ; depots, Caledonian Railway, St. Rollox & Haghill, Duke St. (1891). Farmer (1911)
Siblings
George M (1866-1868), Hugh C (1867-1947), Patrick R (1869-1945), Jane F (1870-1871), Charles G R (1872-1944), Margaret H (1874-aft 1919)
Spouse
Education
Royal Indian Engineering College 1897-1899
Occupation
1881 Census
2 Carlton Terrace, Maryhill
1891 Census
Brisbane Street, Greenock [visiting his maternal aunts].
Home address is 10 Oakfield Terrace, Hillhead
1901 Census
Dover Castle. Home address is 2 Garrioch Gardens, Maryhill
1911 Census
Mannville, Alberta, Canada [Father, mother, brother Patrick and sister Margaret have emigrated as well]
Home Address
Mannville, Alberta, Canada
Glasgow Necropolis
Other Memorials
Not on Scottish National War Memorial
Other Information
In 1919 Macdonald’s widowed mother and his sister Margaret returned to Scotland, initially to Greenock and then to Glasgow.
In some sources MacDonald’s middle name is given as Bremner.
Rank
Lieutenant
Medals
British War Medal, Victory Medal (not confirmed)
Regiment
Canadian Infantry
Regiment Information
Canadian Infantry, 7th Battalion
Military Service
In January 1900 MacDonald was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery and is found stationed at Dover Castle next year when the census was taken. He served in the RGA for ten years according to his enlistment papers in 1915 but little is known about his service. By 1906 he had reached the rank of Lieutenant and in February that year he was appointed Adjutant to the 1st Renfrew and Dumbarton Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers) with the temporary rank of Captain. In 1908 he was still serving as adjutant and as a result of the conversion of the Volunteer Force into the Territorial Force that year he transferred to the 3rd Highland (Howitzer) Brigade (TF). It is not known exactly when he left the RGA but in March 1910 he arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on his way to Mannville, Alberta.
When the First World War broke out MacDonald enlisted on 6th August 1915 at Edmonton, Alberta six weeks after the death of his father. Apart from the basic facts of his enlistment, details of his service are unknown. It is not known when he went to Europe but it may have been as part of the 1st Canadian Reserve Battalion which reinforced the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion which had been serving in France since February 1915 in the 2nd Canadian Brigade of the 1st Canadian Division. The Division took part in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and MacDonald may have been present at these engagements before taking part in the Battle of Vimy which started on 9th April 1917. The war diaries of the 7th Battalion are on line but it has proved impossible to trace GB MacDonald in them (there is at least one other Macdonald in the Battalion).
Born
Death
12th April 1917
Circumstances of Death
Died of wounds.
Macdonald was wounded on either 9th or 10th April.
Age
37
Burial
Wimereux Communal Cemetery, III. E. 4.
CWGC Information
Son of John and Margaret Macdonald, of 6 Spring Gardens, Glasgow.
Parents
John MacDonald (1836-1915) & Margaret Cameron (1836-1924), married 1865
Father's Occupation
John Macdonald & Son, coal masters, 18 Renfield St. ; depots, Caledonian Railway, St. Rollox & Haghill, Duke St. (1891). Farmer (1911)
Siblings
George M (1866-1868), Hugh C (1867-1947), Patrick R (1869-1945), Jane F (1870-1871), Charles G R (1872-1944), Margaret H (1874-aft 1919)
Spouse
Education
Royal Indian Engineering College 1897-1899
Occupation
1911 Census
Mannville, Alberta, Canada [Father, mother, brother Patrick and sister Margaret have emigrated as well]
Home Address
Mannville, Alberta, Canada
Glasgow Necropolis
1881 Census
2 Carlton Terrace, Maryhill
1891 Census
Brisbane Street, Greenock [visiting his maternal aunts].
Home address is 10 Oakfield Terrace, Hillhead
1901 Census
Dover Castle. Home address is 2 Garrioch Gardens, Maryhill
Other Memorials
Not on Scottish National War Memorial
Other Information
In 1919 Macdonald’s widowed mother and his sister Margaret returned to Scotland, initially to Greenock and then to Glasgow.
In some sources MacDonald’s middle name is given as Bremner.
Acknowledgements and Sources
Credits
Compiled by Morag Fyfe, Historical and Genealogical Researcher for The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis.