Private 5256 Lionel Miller Macdonald
Regiment/Unit: Lancashire Fusiliers - 2nd Bn.
Theatre of War: France & Flanders
Theatre of War First Served: (1) France.
Date Entered Therein: 15/05/1915
Age at death: 25
Date of death: 24th of May 1915
Born: Widnes, Lancs
Resided: St Helens, Lancs
Burial / Memorial: Ypres Menin Gate Memorial - Panel 33.
Family details:
Son of John Farquharson Macdonald and Ann Macdonald, of 92, Eccleston St., St. Helens.
Census details:
1901 - 9 year old Lionel is living at 125 Albion St, St Helens with his parents John F (42) Ann (37) and seven siblings: John James (15) Elizabeth Jane (13) Margery (8) William (6) Collin (5) Frank (3) Hector (3 mths) 1911 - Sees 19 year old 'App Sawyer' Lionel living at 74 Pigot St, St Helens with his parents John F (52) Ann (47) and ten siblings: Elizabeth Jane (23) Margery (18) William (16) Collin (15) Frank (13) Hector (10) George (8) Horace (7) Alexander (5) Alan (4)
As a Battalion of the Regular Army, the 2nd Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers arrived in France on the 23rd August 1914.
Lionel MacDonald joined them on the 15th May 1915, at which time they were located in Vlamertinghe in the Ypres Salient. They moved out of Support and into the line at Wieltje on the day he arrived. On 20th May they moved up to Pilckem and were subject to the first gas attack of the war. It seems possible/probable that Pte MacDonald was a victim of this action.
[pic]imgs/WW1_memorials/MacdonaldL_LFs.jpg[/pic]
[caption]The inscription for Private Lionel Miller Macdonald on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial
(Photograph courtesy of Richard Houghton.)[/caption]
