William, we know that you were born 15th March 1879, the son of Donald McDonald (sic) a Master Saddler and Jane his wife. We know that your birth certificate spelled your surname as McDonald, but that you preferred to spell it Macdonald. You were educated in Beauly, but then moved to Dornoch, where you became an ironmonger. Your War Office Personal File (TNA WO 374 43969) records that you were wounded in the Battle of Festubert, treated in the UK, and ordered to report to Folkestone on 26th August 1916 for return to your unit. However, you were found to be still unfit for service and sent home on leave. The next news we have of you was when you were wounded again in Belgium on 21st September 1917 by a shell fragment in your right forearm. This was again a "Blighty" wound and you re-crossed the Channel to Dover on 26th September to receive treatment, including the use of the newly introduced electric shocks, and you were not back with your unit for some time. But you were in action again eventually, and were killed in action 25th July 1918. We read of the exploits of the Scottish Highland Territorial Division in the attack on the German lines on 19th July, so this is probably where you died a few days later. It is so sad that your brothers Donald and Kenneth also lost their lives in the war. Your widow deserves our sincere sympathy. Rest in Peace. Harry.

Henry Harrison