Four sons of Charles and Margaret McDonald of Yannathan served in World War One and two sadly died whilst serving their country.
Charles Stuart McDonald and Margaret Matheson were married on December 7, 1876 at the Presbyterian Manse in Heathcote by the Reverend David Renton. Charles was a 28-year old farmer, born in Malmsbury and Margaret was 24 years-old and had been born in Knowsley; both their fathers were farmers. (1) The couple had fourteen children, with all the births registered at Mooroopna (2) - Donald Alexander (1877 - 1945), Charles Stuart Black (1879 - 1957), Lachlan John (1881 - 1918), Ann Euphemia (1883 - 1960), Violet Ida Helen (1883 - ?), Norman Victor (1885 - 1968), Neil Lamont (1886 - 1917), Lionel Munro Matheson (1888 - 1963), Malcolm McLean (1890 - 1890, died aged one month), Eliza (1891 -1891, died at 2 days old), Hector Rodney (1892 - 1952), Hugh Carr (1895 - 1971) and Duncan McLean (1897 - 1963). (3)
The family moved to Yannathan sometime after Duncan was born but before November 1901 when Charles placed the advertisement, below, for the sale of a Stripper and winnower in good working order. (4) The McDonalds first appear in the Shire of Cranbourne Rate books in the 1901/1902 year. Where the McDonald farm was located is now called Catani. The name of Catani (after Carlo Catani -1852-1918) was adopted for the name of a station of the Strzelecki railway line, which opened in June 1922. The town grew up around the station and the name eventually spread to the surrounding area, including the McDonald farm. (5)
While returning from Bunyip to Yannathan in a buggy Mr Charles McDonald had an alarming experience. The flood water covered the road to a depth of about 3 feet. The horse got in one of the holes, and then plunged into No. 6 drain, which is about 12ft deep. Mr McDonald jumped from the buggy when the horse first went down. The horse was drowned, the horse and buggy not being found for some time afterwards. (7)
Here are the details of the four McDonald boys - Lachlan, Norman, Neil and Hector - who served in World War One. I have included their service number (SN) so you can look at their full record on the National Archives website, www.naa.gov.au. The four McDonald boys are listed on the Yannathan Honour Roll, which you can read about here.
McDonald, Lachlan John Lachlan enlisted in the Royal Flying Corp and was killed in a flying accident on January 19, 1918. The Dookie and Katamatite Recorder of February 14, 1918 had the following tribute to Lachlan.
Our Heroes.
Died, in the service of his country, Lachlan J. McDonald, horticulturist, attached to the staff of the Dookie Agricultural College, and well known to residents of this and surrounding districts. The late Mr McDonald ("Mac" to all his numerous friends) spent his early days in the Mooroopna district, and received special training at the orchard and school of horticulture of Mr John West, of Ardmona. Further experience was gained at the well-known Nobelius Nurseries at Gembrook, and landscape gardening on station homesteads in the Western district contributed its share towards putting a finish on an education which was to be used, at a later period, in imparting a first-class knowledge of horticultural work to the numerous students who came under his care.
During the years of his connection with the College, Mr McDonald contributed a great number of articles on subjects connected with his work to various agricultural journals and papers, and was a splendid lecturer and teacher. He was an enthusiast in all matters pertaining to his particular branch, and had the faculty of being able to enthuse others. Mr McDonald joined the College staff in 1907, and left for England in October 1915, where he received a commission as Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps, became Instructor in Aviation, and, as the result of an accident when flying, met his death at Stockbridge, Hants, England, on the 19th January of this year.
A good public-spirited citizen, and one whose loss will be regretted by all classes in the community. We offer his relatives our heartfelt sympathy. "Vale!" (9)
McDonald, Norman Victor (SN 934) Norman enlisted on February 8, 1916, in the 39th Battalion, same day his brother, Neil, enlisted. He was a 31 year old labourer. Norman Returned to Australia July 4, 1919. (10) Norman was granted a Soldier Settlement farm at Catani, which was actually 89 acres of his parents farm, see plan below. (11)
He married Florence Mary Jackson and lived the rest of his life in Catani. Norman died on October 18, 1968. The Koo Wee Rup Sun published the following obituary in their October 23 issue.
Well Known Catani Resident passes.
Norman Victor McDonald of Catani, who died on 18th October at the age of 83, was the son of one of the original land settlers at Catani.
He came to Catani in 1906 [sic] with his parents, Charles and Margaret McDonald and eleven brothers and sisters, when the Kooweerup Swamp was first thrown open to settlement. The late Charles McDonald selected land at McDonalds Road, Catani, and took up farming on the property where his son Norman resided till his death.
The late Mr. Norman McDonald was closely associated with the early growth of Catani, having been a member of the committee which built the Soldier’s Hall and the State School. He enlisted with the 1st AIF and served with the 39th Bat. Two of his brothers lost their lives in that War. He was a life-long member of the Catani RSL.
One brother, Carr McDonald, who resides at Catani survives him. The late Mr McDonald was in ill health for some weeks being a patient in the Westernport Memorial Hospital and Melbourne Hospital where he passed away. He is survived by a wife Florence and was the father of two sons, Robert and Norman (Bill) RAAF dec’d. District relations and friend paid their last respects at the funeral held today, Wednesday at Springvale. (12)
As a matter of interest Norman married Florence Jackson (nee Yaxley), a widow on February 11, 1925. She was born in Norwich, England and stated she was a widow with no children, and Norman also stated he had no children. (13) This was not quite the truth because she actually had two sons, and Norman was the father of the younger son. Florence had married George Albert Jackson in Perth in 1913. They had a son, Robert Frank Jackson, in 1915 in Perth. (14) George (SN 548) enlisted on September 25, 1914, in the 16th Battalion, stating that he was not married and listed his sister, Sarah, who lived in England as his next of kin. He embarked on December 22, 1914 and a Court of Enquiry held in April 1916, determined that George had been Killed in Action at Gallipoli, nearly a year before on May 2, 1915.
So, it appears that the marriage was over by September 1914; however Florence received a pension as his widow and signed a statuary declaration in September 1920 stating that she was in receipt of the pension from the Repatriation Department and had never been been divorced nor legally separated from George. Which was true, but she didn't mention her son Robert, nor was he listed as a dependent regarding her pension, as was normally the case. (15) As well, in 1916 she gave birth to another son, Norman Neil McDonald in Carlton. Her surname for the birth is listed as Yaxley and the father was Norman Victor McDonald. (16) In September 1920, in another letter written by Florence, this time concerning George's medals, her address was Garfield. (17) I presume that she didn't marry Norman until 1925 as it may have impacted on her receiving the pension. Her son Robert died in 1981; her son Norman (Bill) was in the Royal Australian Air Force (SN 409729) and was Killed in Action in May 1944. Florence died in 1972, aged 77. (18)
McDonald, Neil Lamont (SN 2060) Neil was a 29 year old labourer when he enlisted on February 8, 1916, the same day as Norman, in the 60th Battalion. (19) His father was his next of kin, but this was later changed to his wife Matilda (nee McFarlane) of Longwarry, whom he married on March 4, 1916 between his enlistment and his embarkation. They were married at the Presbyterian Manse, North Road in Elsternwick, by the Rev. R. Wilson Macaulay. (20) Reverend Macaulay was appointed as a Chaplain in the Australian Imperial Force in August 1916 where he served with the 3rd Brigade on the Western Front from February to October 1917 and suffered shell-shock. (21)
Sadly, Neil Died of Wounds, multiple gun shot wounds, on May 14, 1917 received whilst fighting in France. (22) Matilda, the daughter of Galbraith and Mary McFarlane, did not remarry, and died in 1967, aged 84. (23)
McDonald, Hector Rodney (SN 3425) Hector enlisted on January 1, 1917 in the 58th Battalion. He was 25 year old farmer and his father was his next of kin. Hector Returned to Australia July 24, 1919. (24) Hector was also granted a Soldier Settlement farm, the other section of his father's farm. (25). Hector was listed in the Electoral rolls at Catani, until his death, which took place on February 10, 1952, when he was aged 60. (26)
Footnotes
(1) McDonald/Matheson marriage certificate
(2) Indexes to the Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages. The three sons who enlisted in Australia all have Ardmona as their place of birth. Victorian Places (see here) has this to say about Ardmona - Ardmona is a rural village and orchard area in northern Victoria, 3 km west of Mooroopna. It is in the west Goulburn Valley irrigation area. Its name came from a farm named ‘Ardmona’, owned by Charles and Lochie McDonald. It was purchased by a private syndicate in 1886 for subdivision for irrigated farms. I presume then, that Charles Stuart McDonald, who married Margaret Matheson in 1876 is either the Charles who owned the Ardmona property or the son of either Charles or Lochie.
(4) Euroa Advertiser, November 1, 1901, see here.
(5) Strzelecki Railway line - https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2021/12/koo-wee-rup-to-strzelecki-railway-line.html
(6) Land as listed in Charles' Probate papers -
(7) Lang Lang Guardian, November 17, 1915, see here.
(9) Dookie and Katamatite Recorder, February 14, 1918, see here.
(10) Norman - Service record from National Archives of Australia - https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1843306
(11) Norman - Soldier Settler file from the Public Records Office of Victoria -
(15) George - Service record from National Archives of Australia
(17) See Footnote 15.
(18) Robert - Victoria Death registration - 15321/1981; Norman RAAF WW2 Nominal Rolls https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=1013488&c=WW2; Florence - Victoria Death registration 14297/1972
(19) Neil - Service Record from the National Archives of Australia
(20) The Argus, April 8, 1916, see here
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