Walter Leslie Donald
Walter Leslie Donald was born 29 October 1895 in Toronto ON. His parents, James and Helen, had 5 sons, with Walter being the second youngest. The family lived in Lindsay for several years before moving to Toronto and to Nova Scotia.
On 24 September 1914, Walter travelled to Valcartier along with his brother Bruce, to enlist for service. Walter was attached to the Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) and Bruce became a Lieutenant with the 17th Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders). A few weeks before Walter was killed in action, Bruce was severely wounded and invalided home. Both brothers also served with the 45th Victoria Regiment.
There are no war diary details to provide insight on what was happening around the time that Walter died, but his Battalion was under heavy shelling near Haynecourt northwest of Cambrai. On his Circumstances of Casualty record, it notes “during military operations in the vicinity of Haynecourt, he was struck in the back and wrist by splinters from an enemy shell, and killed instantly.”
Walter Leslie Donald is buried in Sains-les-Marquion British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. He was 22 years old.
