Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Private

Unit:

2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, 17th Infantry Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, British Army

Awarded on:

January 24th, 1946

Recommendation:
"In every action Pte. McDonald has been responsible for maintaining communication with forward Coys. He was Always irrepressibly cheerful and showed a very high order of courage.
At ANZIO in March 44 durin a Bde attack, Bn HQ and the route to forward Coys was shelled and mortared most heavily throughout the day. Crossing this ground many times attracting observed machine gun fire and constant mortar fire, Pte. McDonald, disregarding personal safety, had but one aim, to keep the line through. During the critical attacks and counter attacks in the "Fortress" area at ANZIO on May 1st, the wadi joining Bn HQ to the "Fortress" Coys was subjected to continual arty and mortar DF. Pte. McDonald spent eight hours in an inferno of shelling and mortaring, constantly mending the lines.
On 28 Apr 45 at NEU DARCHAU on the ELBE the battalion took part in a deception plan which drew heavy enemy artillery fire throughout the night. Once again Pte. McDonald was out mending lines to forward Coys under heavy fire. He gave no thought for his own danger, he thought only of the forward Coys, who relied on the line for arty support. His matchless courage and distinguished conduct have inspired his platoon in battle and made command possible. No greater combination could be given by one man."

WO 373/56.
LG 37442/640.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Private

Unit:

2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, 17th Infantry Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, British Army

Awarded on:

November 16th, 1948

Awarded for:

Operation Shingle

Citation:
"For gallantry in action while serving with the Northamptonshire Regiment on the Anzio Beachhead from 10 to 20 March 1944. Private McDonald's battalion was committed to front-line duty in a particularly active sector where there was little natural cover and in a position where all daylight movement was restricted. Communication with one company was dependent upon a single wire line, strung along a shallow wadi. This line was cut repeatedly and communications interrupted as a result of enemy shelling. For five successive nights Private McDonald worked under intense and continuous enemy shell fire and over ground covered by active enemy machine gun fire in order to keep this line in repair, once laboring for nine consecutive hours before communications were restored. On the third night, Private McDonald was grazed four times by shell fragments, but he nevertheless continued his task with determination, courage, and complete disregard for personal safety."

Permission to wear the decoration was granted on March 25th, 1949.
LG 38571/1529.
General Orders No. 74, Department of the Army, (November 16, 1948), Amended by General Orders No. 20 (April 14, 1949).