Pentland Road - 2

The following information was submitted by a reader of the Lewismen in Canadian Service website, regarding Donald Smith, of 11 Aird Tong.  The Roll of Honour says he was wounded twice, but that must have been a mistake. Donald enlisted with the 94th Battalion, Fort William, Ontario (Canada) on 10 Jan 1916. Arriving in England he was transferred to the 43rd (Cameron Highlanders of Winnipeg) Battalion in France. He was decorated twice. Distinguished Conduct Medal Deed of Action 198766 Sergeant Donald Smith 43rd Battalion For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty throughout forty hour's continuous fighting on 27th and 28 August 1918 near Vis-en-Artois, involving two attacks and repeated enemy counter-attacks. He was in the thick of the fighting, accounting for five of the enemy and setting a fine aggressive example to his men. (Authority: London Gazette number 31726, dated 10 January, 1920) Bar to Distinguished Conduct Medal Deed of Action ...

On 9 June 1888, Annie Macleod, living in the village of Knock, Point (in Lewis), gave birth to another child, Donald. He was the sixth, and not the last child. Two more followed, and by the start of 1894, eight children, varying in ages from 1 to 15 years, crowded into the dwelling. It drove the father, Hector, to distraction, to such an extent that he ended his life in September that year. Three months later, Annie also passed away. The eight youngsters were taken into the care of the Quarrier Homes in Glasgow, and emigrated to Canada two years later. Donald signed up for the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Calgary in October 1914, and was injured during the Battle of the Somme. He was transferred to War Hospital at Napsbury, where he passed away on 4 August 1916, at 9.45pm. Due to an error in the paperwork, his remains were transferred to Benbecula, rather than Lewis, and the next-of-kin notified. The next of kin was thought to be Alex Macleod of Gramsdale, but when Alex came t...

Private DONALD MACLEAN Last address in Lewis: 7 Coll Son of Murdo and Isabella Maclean Service unit: Seaforth Highlanders Date of death: 22 May 1916 at the age of 21 Died after 1½ years suffering of phthisis Local memorial: Back His brothers Kenneth and Murdo served in the RNR, but survived the war. Please note Donald Maclean's date of death on the Back War Memorial is quoted as January 1916. However, his death certificate states that he died on 22 May 1916, aged 21, of phthisis of which he had suffered for 18 months. No reference to any military service could be found. Donald Maclean, 21 Callanish, died on 7 January 1916 in Mesopotamia. The entry on CWGC refers to Donald being the son of Finlay Maclean, which tallies with the information from the Roll of Honour, which lists an identical date of death, although it erroneously lists his location of death as La Bassee. Private DONALD MACLEAN Last address in Lewis: 21 Callanish, Son of Finlay and Annie Maclea...