I.B. 5, Coxyde Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Other Memorials
Inverkeithing Memorial.
Scottish National War Memorial (Edinburgh Castle.)
Other Information
Grave of Thomas Donaldson
Brother of James Donaldson, Salisbury House, North Queensferry
Census 1911 at Chapel Close, North Queensferry, Thomas Donaldson (22) born Kingskettle, labourer in Whinstone quarry, son of George, council water officer (widower).
Thomas appears to have been in the Territorial Army as Private 2373 in the Highland Cyclist Battalion, based at Kirkcaldy, prior to transfer to 16Bn, HLI.
This battalion served in 97th Brigade of the 32nd Division. In July 1917 the battalion were in the front line in the north of Belgium near the town of Nieuport.
A massive German bombardment was directed at the battalion on the 10th and 11th July 1917 and this was also the first occasion on which the Germans used the deadly mustard gas.
Sources
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Scottish National War Memorial (Edinburgh Castle.)
Scottish War Memorials Project.
Census 1911.
National Archives. Medal Card. Soldier’s Effects.
Alex Morris
Here dead we lie, Because we did not choose
To live and shame the land, From which we sprung.
Life, to be sure, Is nothing much to lose,
But young men think it is, And we were young.
[Here Dead We Lie, A.E. Housman]
When You Go Home,
Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Your Tomorrow,
We gave our Today
[Kohima, attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds]
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
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