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William Arthur Melvin Donald - Information

As the war was raging, William was living at Lemongrove in Penrith. He was born in Camden on the 9th of December 1892 to Frances and Archibald Donald. The family had relocated to Penrith, where William supported himself working as a locomotive fireman. At the age of 25, he decided to enlist in the AIF on the 17th of November 1917. He commenced his training at the Royal Showground Camp, Moore Park, and was posted as a Sapper to the Railway Unit. He was then shipped overseas from Melbourne on the 28th of February 1918 onboard the HMAT Nestor.

William disembarked in Liverpool, England on the 20th of April 1918. The following day, he was marched into the Australian Railway Operating Depot in Longmoor. In early June, he was transported to France, to the Australian General Base Depot in Rouelles, and from here, he joined the 2nd Australian Light Railway Operating Company on the 17th of June. William and his unit were responsible for transporting men and war material for operations. He continued to serve with his unit after the war ended. He then boarded the Karmala in early July 1919 for his journey back to Australia.