Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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.); Memorial Plaque (William McDonald), in its card sleeve, and original Record Office forwarding letters for each of his campaign medals, extremely fine (4) £180-220

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.