Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to include a Fine Collection of Napoleonic Medals

Four: Gunner W. McDonald, Royal Field Artillery, who was among those drowned on the occasion the transport Manitou was attacked by a Turkish torpedo boat in April 1915

1914-15 Star (31105 Gnr. W. McDonald, R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (31105 Gnr. W. McDonald, R.F.A.), together with related Memorial Plaque (William McDonald), in its card sleeve, and original Record Office forwarding letters for each of his campaign medals, extremely fine (4) £250-300

William McDonald died on 16 April 1915, when his transport ship the Manitou was attacked by a Turkish torpedo boat. The Turkish captain gave the Manitou’s captain just ten minutes to clear the decks before launching a torpedo strike. As it transpired, none of the torpedoes found their mark but one of Manitou’s lifeboats overturned when the ship was being abandoned, as a consequence of which 58 men were drowned.

McDonald, who had landed in Egypt a fortnight earlier, was the son of W. McDonald of Bendamph House, Torridon, Ross-shire.