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Donald Cameron McLeod - Information

The McLeod family was living on a property named Roslyn at Albion Park when the war commenced. Donald was born in Bega c1893, where he grew up with his siblings. In Albion Park, Donald completed five years service with the Australian Light Horse and found work as a grazier. He also became very close to his younger brother, George. They were so close in fact, that they decided to join the AIF together. They enlisted at the Royal Showground Camp in Sydney on the 30th of October 1916. Donald and George were lucky enough to be placed in the same unit, the 18th Reinforcements, 18th Battalion at Liverpool Depot. They were then shipped overseas for war service, embarking Sydney onboard the HMAT Suevic on the 11th of November 1916.

After a long voyage, Donald and George arrived at Devonport, England on the 30th of January 1917. They were then marched into the 5th Training Battalion where they were prepared for Western Front. On the 3rd of May, Donald and George proceeded to France, joining the 18th Battalion at Etaples. Donald was quickly promoted to Lance Corporal on the 26th of July, as the Battalion was moved to the Ypres Sector during the Third Battle of Ypres. Momentum faltered after the initial attack, as the rains began, turning the trenches and No Man’s Land into pools of mud. The men struggled through slush, sometimes hip deep. Consequently, on the 8th of October, Donald reported to hospital with trench foot. He returned to his unit at the beginning of November, in time for another very cold winter. Unfortunately, Donald reported to hospital again with a fever in April 1918. He was evacuated to England and admitted to the 3rd South General Hospital. At the time, Donald’s father, Hector, moved the family from Albion Park to Green Vale in Ingleburn. Donald recovered, and by September was back on the frontlines in France at the Australian Infantry Base Depot. Donald reunited with his brother as the 18th Battalion was stationed to Montbrehain. He remained with them until he was given his travel orders for Australia. Donald and George sailed from England on the 7th of July 1919. Donald returned home to his family in Ingleburn, and was discharged from the AIF on the 16th of October.