4444883 Private John Henry DONALDSON, 2nd Bn. Durham Light Infantry: 25/05/1940

Remembered Rickmansworth,Hertfordshire

Casualty Details | CWGC
DONALDSON, JOHN HENRY
Rank: Private
Service No: 4444883
Date of Death: 25/05/1940
Age: 31
Regiment/Service: Durham Light Infantry, 2nd Bn.
Cemetery: HAVERSKERQUE BRITISH CEMETERY
Grave Reference: Row D. Grave 7.
Location: France
Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Beatrice Donaldson; husband of Winifred Donaldson, of Mill End, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire.
Personal Inscription: IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY DEAR HUSBAND

 

The 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry, was brigaded with the 1st Bn Royal Welch Fusiliers and 1st Bn Royal Bershire Regiment in the 6th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

On 25 May 1940, it was situated at Calonnes-sur-Lys that morning and in reserve. The 2nd Infantry Division as a whole was holding part of the southern flank of a corridor running between Lens and Dunkirk. The battalion was ordered to occupy St. Venant during the evening, with three companies up, covering a gap that existed on the left flank of the 1st Bn Royal Bershire Regiment.

I have no information about how Private Donaldson was killed.

RIP Private John H Donaldson

Best,

Steve.

 

The Prisoner of War comments are quite interesting:

The war diary says they were at Merville until the arfernoon when they moved to St. Venant. I've been to St. Venant a few times and there's a lot of DLI casualties in the cemetery which would suggest he was either killed before the battalion reached St Venant or he died of wounds from a previous engagement. I'll check the battalions missing men file and the war crimes file at St. Venant (Mainly DLI) for any further clues if I have time.