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Owen John Donaldson

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Portrait Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Portrait Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Identity

  • Title
  • Forenames
    Owen John AWMM
  • Surname
    Donaldson AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    WWII 48245 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    21 November 1920 AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    WW2 518 Victoria Street, Rotorua, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW2 Mrs M.A. Donaldson (mother), 12 Abbott Street, Gonville, Wanganui, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Unknown AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
  • Campaign
    Italy AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWII 48245 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Owen Donaldson was the son of William Donaldson and of Mary Ann Donaldson (nee Ritchie) of Gonville, Wanganui.



    Sergeant Donaldson was killed during a surprise attack by the Germans on 18 Regiment close to the Senio River one night. The description of the event appears in 18 Armoured Regiment History by W.D. Dawson:



    '...about eleven o'clock [pm] when nearly everyone was fast asleep, occurred one of those startling events that hapen when you least expect them....without warning [the Germans] began to shell the whole New Zealand area with everything he possessed, from light mortars to great 210-millimetre earth-movers. There was a scatter as men evacuated bivvies and sought urgent shelter in houses or tanks or ditches. Those who had been cautious enough to dig slitties had the last laugh - though they did not feel like laughing for the next two hours. There was no sleep for anyone all that time, only a nightmare of noise and acrid smoke and hunks of metal flying through the vines. The damage was surprisingly small, but in Regimental Headquarters a truck and a Honey tank were badly bent, Sergeant Owen Donaldson was killed and four men wounded.' (p. 614)

    Official History of 18 Battalion and Armoured Regiment by W.D. Dawson AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    6 April 1945 AWMM
    Age 25 AWMM
    ItalyEurope AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Faenza War Cemetery, Italy AWMM Plot IV, Row A, Grave 16 AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    • Rotorua Citizens War Memorial (World War 2) AWMM
    • Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM

Roll of Honour

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Leave a tribute or memory of Owen John Donaldson

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  • Kia ora uncle Owen...the last of the boys have joined you with the passing of uncle Jack..it was amazing that nana and grandpa sent five boys off to war and Dad was in boot camp when the war ended. But sadly you did not return and lay in a far away land. You are always in our thoughts not just at this time of year but all the time. I know dad had many regrets not having you here or being able to visit your resting place in Italy, however you are all together now, brothers in arms forever. Though we never meet dad kept your memory alive, so I know you well...your niece Kathleen.
    Public - Kathleen - Direct descendant - 18 April 2018
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
    Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2237174
    Sources Used
  • References
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 11 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1943 to 30th June, 1943). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      p.35 AWMM
    • The parting of the ways : a souvenir record of the triumphs, tribulations and maritime musings of returning draft H.M.N.Z.T No. 217, 'Zealandic'. January 18th, 1919 to February 26th, 1919. AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
09 March 2022Ian BanksTaumarunui New ZealandResearcher
18 April 2018KathleenOpotikiDirect descendant

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