John Lachlan McDonald – Royal Artillery, 64 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, 4 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Gunner John Lachland McDonald – Royal Artillery, 64 Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, 4 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Birth and Family Background
John Lachlan McDonald was born in 1913 in Monmouthshire. He was the son of Ross
McDonald and Edith Bellamy.
1921 Census
At the time
of the 1921 Census, the McDonald family were residing at 262 Oxford
Street, Swansea. Ross McDonald (47), recorded as R. McDonald,
was employed as a hotel manager with Fulton & Co., while his
wife Edith, born in Abergavenny, undertook household duties.
Their children were Flora (18), a grocer’s assistant; Alex
(15); and John (8), with the younger children attending school. Also
present in the household were Catherine McDonald (84), Ross’s widowed
mother, and Charles McDonald (44), Ross’s brother, who worked as an assistant
hotel manager.
Marriage and 1939 Register
1939 Register
In 1937,
John married Edna M. Dyer. At the time of the 1939 Register, the
couple were living at 262 Oxford Street, a public house. John
L. McDonald was employed as a warehouseman, while Edna
undertook household duties. Also residing at the address were William C.,
a wine and spirit store manager, and Edith, who also undertook
household duties.
Military Service
John Lachlan McDonald served as a Gunner with the Royal Artillery, attached to 64
Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, 4 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
Death and Commemoration
On 30th
October 1942, Gunner John Lachlan McDonald lost his life while
travelling as a passenger aboard the S.S. President Doumer, which
was lost near Madeira.
The S.S.
President Doumer was a French passenger and cargo liner,
launched in 1921 for service with the Compagnie des Messageries
Maritimes. Designed for long-distance routes, she operated primarily on colonial
and international passenger services, carrying civilians, officials, and
general cargo between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.S.S. President Doumer
Following
the Fall of France in 1940, President Doumer came under Allied
control and was used for wartime transport duties, including the
movement of military personnel, civilians, and essential cargo. Ships of
this type often sailed independently or with minimal escort,
particularly on Atlantic and African routes, where the threat from German
U-boats was constant.
On 30th
October 1942, President Doumer was lost near Madeira while on
passage. Although the precise circumstances remain unclear, the loss occurred
during a period of intense U-boat activity in the Atlantic, and the ship
was presumed to have been sunk by enemy action, most likely a German
submarine. The loss resulted in significant casualties, and many of
those on board had no known grave, leading to their commemoration on
memorials such as Brookwood.
Among those
who lost their lives was Gunner John Lachlan McDonald, who was
travelling as a passenger at the time. His death reflects the wider
dangers faced by service personnel even when not engaged directly in combat, as
wartime sea travel remained highly perilous throughout the conflict.
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| John Lachlan McDonald Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial, Surrey credit - findagrave |
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