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Donald Hugh Nash - Information

Donald was the first son of Henry Gordon and Florence Nash, born in Gunning in 1896. Henry and Florence eventually moved to the Campbelltown area, settling down at Merriwee in East Minto. Donald attended Burwood Superior Public School, before finding work as a bank clerk with the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Ltd, Campbelltown Branch. When Donald was 21, he decided to enlist in the AIF, signing up in Lismore on the 18th of April 1917. During training, he was made a Gunner with the Field Artillery Brigade. He was then shipped overseas, departing Sydney on the 5th of November 1917 onboard the HMAT Port Sydney.

Donald arrived at Suez on the 12th of December, before leaving Alexandria for England. He arrived in Southampton in early January 1918, and was marched into the Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery at Heytesbury. After specialised training, Donald was transported to the Western Front in May. The following month, he was marched out to the 1st Division Artillery and was taken on strength to the 1st Field Artillery Brigade at the Australian General Base Depot. At the time, Artillery Units were desperately on the move, trying to keep up with changing positions as the Allies were pushing forward after the Germans. Resultantly, they became prime targets for enemy fire. On the 29th of August, Donald was wounded in action. He received multiple shrapnel wounds to his thighs and legs, and was taken to the 61st Casualty Clearing Station by the 14th Field Ambulance. He was then admitted to the 6th General Hospital in Rouen, where he later died of his many wounds on the 6th of September 1918. He was buried at the St Sever Cemetery, Rouen now the St Sever Cemetery Extension, Haute-Normandie in France.