Donald Victor Chisholm

Donald Victor Chisholm

Personal Information
Date of Birth	1 Jun 1893
Place of Birth	Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Death	8 Jan 1969, aged 75
Place of Death	Maylands, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	22 years, 3 months
Description	5'8¾" (1.75m) tall ; 167lbs 75.75 kg ; fresh complexion ; brown eyes ; dark hair
Occupation	Mill hand
Religion	Methodist
Address	Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs. Charlotte Chisholm
Military Information
Reg Number	4167
Date of Enlistment	14 Sep 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 13th Reinforcement to B Coy, (15 PL D Coy when captured) / 3rd Brigade, 1st Division
Date of Embarkation	17 Jan 1916 ‒ 9 Feb 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A30 Borda
Date of Return	5 Mar 1919 ‒ 13 Apr 1919
Ship Returned On	HMHS Nevasa
Fate	Wounded in Action 22/25 Jul 1916 Pozières Prisoner of War 15 Apr 1917 Lagnicourt Returned to Australia
Monument	Jarrahdale Honour Roll ANZAC Memorial Park (Byford) The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial Ballarat, Victoria
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Attended Jarrahdale Primary School Electoral Roll entries - 5 First avenue, Jarrahdale, mill hand

War Service

Two months after entering Blackboy Hill camp, Donald was allocated to the 13th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion, and travelled with them to Egypt, disembarking from HMAT A30 Borda at Port Suez on 9 Feb 1916. Donald was taken on strength by the 11th Battalion on 17 Mar 1916 at Habieta where they were defending the Suez Canal. He was posted to 'B' Coy and almost immediately they moved to Serapeum, and then Alexandria, boarding HMT Corsican on 30 March for Marseilles in France, disembarking there on 5 Apr 1916.

In Marseilles they entrained for Flêtre in northern France, arriving there on the 8 Apr 1916 before moving to Sailly on the 19th. Between 22 and 25 Jul 1916 Donald was wounded in Action with a GSW to his right thigh. At 12:30am on the 23rd, the 11th Battalion attacked over a 450 metre front following a brief bombardment of the enemies trenches. 'B' Company attacking on the left hand side was tasked with taking the second objective, a set of trenches alongside the railway line. However they were unable to find their objective and instead penetrated into Pozières itself sustaining many casualties. Donald was treated by the 2nd Field Ambulance on 23 Jul 1916 before being passed to the 44th Casualty Clearing Station, and the 23rd General Hospital in Étaples. Evacuated to England from Calais aboard HMHS Newhaven on the 25th, we might assume that his injury was received during the actual attack or very soon thereafter on 23.

On arrival in England he was admitted to the Military Hospital Grantham. Released to the No. 1 Command Depot Perham Downs on 17 Aug 1916, he transferred to the 3rd Training Battalion on 4 Sep 1916 to prepare for a return to France. On 22 Oct 1916 Donald returned to France, and on 11 Nov 1916, he rejoined the 11th Battalion. In April 1917 the 11th Battalion was in the line near Louverval in miserable weather, rain, snow and cold being the order of the day. At 4:00am on the 15th the battalion was subject to an artillery attack, followed up by German infantry attacking them. The 11th Battalion lost a number of the men placed as piquets out in front of their lines. This was borne out by a statement by 5717 Pte Hugh Hunter who was hospitalised in the UK.

I feel sure that Lance Corporal Chisholm (11 platoon 'D' Company) was captured on April 15th at Boursies, as the whole of his Platoon were cut off and taken prisoners, with their officer Lieutenant Stuart who did not know the ground very well, and who had put their posts out rather too far. The Germans made a surprise attack and they were all cut off..

Reported as Missing in Action on 16 Apr 1917, Donald was subsequently confirmed to have been captured on 15 Apr 1917 at Lagnicourt on the basis of information received from the Germans dated 2 Jun 1917. He was interred at Limburg. On 18 Nov 1918 he asked that a telegram be sent to his mother "Well and happy". Repatriated to Dover in England via Calais on 3 Dec 1918, he was soon on his way home to Australia where he was discharged by he 5th Military District on 5 Jun 1919.

Post War

In 1925 Donald married Winifred Kathleen Fallon in Jarrahdale. Winifred died on 15 Aug 1994, aged 92.

Electoral Roll entries - 1922 - 1925 Jarrahdale, mill hand; 1931 - 1958 labourer at Gwalia, Winifred with him in 1936 at Manning street Gwalia; 1963 retires at 13 Crowther street, Carnarvon; 1968 11 Stuart street, Maylands. In 1977 Winifred was at 8/12 Hampton street, Victoria Park; 1980 at 13/62 Great Eastern Highway, Rivervale.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial
• Ballarat POW Memorial