condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white

Cenotaph record

Haddon Vivian Donald

-
Lay a poppy
Portrait of Captain Haddon Vivian Donald, Military Cross, World War II. Taken at Maadi, Egypt, on 23 October 1942 by an official photographer. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand, DA-02698-F. Image is subject to copyright restrictions.

Portrait of Captain Haddon Vivian Donald, Military Cross, World War II. Taken at Maadi, Egypt, on 23 …

Identity

About

Contribute ›
  • Title
  • Forenames
    Haddon Vivian AWMM
  • Surname
    Donald AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    WWII 6011 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

Contribute ›
  • Birth
    20 March 1917 AWMM Masterton, Wairarapa AWMM
    Masterton, Wairarapa, New Zealand AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    WW2 Pre 1940 AWMM Manuka St., Masterton AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW2 Mr. V.E. Donald, Manuka St., Masterton (father) AWMM
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

Contribute ›
  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
  • Campaign
    • North Africa AWMM
    • Italy AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWII 6011 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

Contribute ›
  • Medals and Awards
    • Military Cross (MC) AWMM
      19 March 1942 AWMM
      The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Donaldson, Haddon Vivian. (Ref. WO 373/19/397). Military Cross. AWMM
    • Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
      DSO: NZ Gazette, 30 April 1946. Citation: "On 27 June 1944 during the advance to the Arno Lt Col Donald took over in addition to his own Battalion, a small composite column which had been advancing towards Scasgiano. From this time until Poggiona was taken, Lt Col Donald's Battalion did the whole of the infantry work in 4 NZ Armoured Brigade sector, carrying out several consecutive attacks, all of which were successful. As the Brigade held a one battalion front the units in support and under command raised his orders group for each operation to seventeen. Among the localities taken in the course of the fighting were the villages of Cigliano, Pisignano, Casa Vecchia, La Romola, Tavernacca, and the Poggiona feature, in addition to intermediate features which were all strongly held. The complete success of these operations were mainly due to Lt Col Donald's skilful command of his own unit and the supporting arms. His personal courage, energy, and resourcefulness were all of the highest order. At every difficult time when personal reconnaissance to gain first hand information of the most forward troops, his cheerful presence was such that the momentum of a series of continuous attacks was maintained over a period of a week. His personal presence, his optimism and his leadership were an inspiration to all those under his command, contributing in a large measure to the unflagging momentum of the advance." AWMM
    • 1939-1945 Star AWMM
    • Africa Star (8th Army clasp) AWMM
    • Italy Star AWMM
    • Defence Medal AWMM
    • War Medal 1939-1945 with oak leaf AWMM
    • New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
    • Legion of Merit (USA) AWMM
    • Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) AWMM

Training and Enlistment

Contribute ›
  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW2 18 January 1941 AWMM Company manager/Civilian AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

Contribute ›

Prisoner of war

Contribute ›
  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

Contribute ›
  • Medical notes
    Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
    Wounded 4 times AWMM

Last known rank

Contribute ›

Biographical information

Biographical information

Contribute ›
  • Member of the Taupo/Masterton RSA. AWMM

Death

About death

Contribute ›
  • Death
    23 April 2018 AWMM
    Age 101 AWMM
    Masterton, Wairarapa AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

Contribute ›
  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

Remember Haddon Vivian Donald by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Haddon Vivian Donald

Leave a note

Contribute ›

Sources

Sources

Contribute ›
  • External links
  • References
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1942). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 5 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1941 to 30 September, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
    • Henderson, J. (1958). 22 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
      pp.7, 9, 27, 48, 52–3, 55, 106–107, 117, 123, 134, 146, 198, 201, 210, 227, 233, 235, 243, 246, 261, 271, 286, 290, 307, 312, 314, 331, 335, 341, 349, 360, 362, 367–368, 371, 384, 417, 419, 432, 439–443. AWMM
    • Kay, R. (1958). 27 (Machine Gun) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
      p.430. AWMM
    • Dawson, W. (1961). 18 Battalion and Armoured Regiment. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
      p.544. AWMM
    • Pringle, D., & Glue, W. (1957). 20 Battalion and Armoured Regiment. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
      pp.468–470. AWMM
    • Information kindly provided by family AWMM
    • This record was partially compiled from information provided by the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photographers (NZIPP) Veteran Portrait Project. AWMM
    • Donald, H. V. In Peace & War: A Civilian Soldier’s Story, 2005 Public - Manu Alan Beetham - Other Relative - 6 May 2015 - Autobiography

Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
06 May 2015Manu Alan BeethamMurrays BayOther Relative

The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

Creative Commons LicenseOnline Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.