Sergeant William (Billy) Donaldson, of the Royal Ulster Rifles.

Hello
My grandfather passed away recently and while rummaging through some of the books in his office I came across a journal filled with a verity of poems. Among the poems is one In memory of a Sergeant William (Billy) Donaldson, of the Royal Ulster Rifles. The only other info given is that he was KIA in Salerno Italy at the age of 21. The poem is written to this Billy as if the two were close, though at the supposive time of Billy's death (1940-1943) my grandfather had yet to be born. With this in mind I suppose the poem is or was a possession of my great grandfather. I looked into the man a bit but have been unable to find him through a name search and have not found anything on him in photos or on the listed members of the regiment. If anyone can help me in the search or already knows of him it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Lawrence,

He appears to have died at a later date at Cassino. He came from Belfast.

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2608859/DONALDSON,%20WILLIAM%20JOHN

Guy

 

L/Sgt Donaldson was killed at or near Casa Sinagoga (a couple of miles to the south of the town of Cassino) during the advance of the 2nd Battalion, London Irish Rifles (2 LIR) against German defensive positions positioned at the farmhouse. As he is noted in the war diaries (entry at 1400) as having been killed "with" Lt Michael Clark MC, I think he would have served with H Coy (under Major Desmond Woods MC and bar) and thus taken part in the lead assault on Sinagoga that had commenced at 9am on the morning of 16th May.

Although noted as having an RUR army number, given his rank, William Donaldson is likely to have served with 2 LIR for an extended period after they had landed with 38 (Irish) Brigade at Algiers on 22nd Nov 1942, through the six month campaign in Tunisia ending in May 1943, then landing at Syracuse in southern Sicily in late July 1943, onto Taranto in Sept 1943 and reaching the Moro river in Dec 1943, in defensive positions in the mountains close to Castel Di Sangro during January 1944, and finally across to the Liri Valley/Cassino massif in Feb/March 1944. In readiness for their part in the attack on the Gustav Line, 2 LIR had crossed the Gari river on 14th May 1944.

Quis Separabit.

 

Thanks everyone.

You gave me the starting a point as well as a lot of info for the search.

Very much appreciated!

 

Lawrence,

Thank you.

Do you know if your great granddad served?

best

 

Lawrence.

I am out in Cassino the week after next guiding a group. I will stop and tip my hat to LSgt Donaldson.

Regards

FdeP

 

Frank,

As I'm sure you will, please also tip your hat the other London Irishmen who are buried in that plot of the cemetery, including my Dad's mate Sgt Edward Mayo MM (at H11) and Lt Michael Clark MC (at H17), who were both also killed at Sinagoga on 16th May 1944...

best

 

Good morning. L/Sgt

Lawrence.
Good morning,
L/Sgt William (Billy) Donaldson was my great uncle. If you wouldn't mind I would like to see a copy of the poem your great grandfather wrote. I have done quite a bit of research on Billy, he was with 2nd Battalion, H company, 17 platoon LIR and was killed alongside Lt MOW Clark at 1415 on 16th May 1944.
If you would like anymore information please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Many thanks Rob

 

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

As Lawrence hasn’t signed in to the forum since he made his 2 posts on this topic in Sept 2015 he may not pick up your message so I have sent him a message via the forum messaging system to alert him to your post. I can’t guarantee he will respond.

Steve

 

OK thank you, it's just a shame it's taken me this long to find this site.
Thanks once again
Rob

 

Rob.

I was talking to your mother about LSgt Billy Donaldson a few days ago and have sent her a load of info on the battle that he was killed in at Sinagoga.

You should get it soon.

Regards

Frank

 

Hi Frank.
We will be seeing you next May. Looking forward to the tour and comparing notes on the 2nd Battalion LIR.
Regards Rob

 

All good.

16th May 1944 would stay in the memory of all those present - I showed a video that I had taken of the LIR Assn pipers playing on the route up to Casa Sinagoga to my Dad on my return from a regimental tour in May 2009 and it brought a tear to his eye. Perhaps, it brought back memories to him of that sunny Monday morning 75 years previously when a number of his friends were killed, never to be forgotten.

The memories of Major Desmond Woods, OC H Coy on that fateful day are essential listening to/reading:
The full oral account is on the IWM website - as well as some very interesting stories of his time with the RUR in Palestine and as ADC to Montgomery in the UK
Woods, Desmond (Oral history)

and a transcription on the attacks in May 1944 can be found here:
Desmond Woods: Part III – The Liri Valley

Desmond Woods' final words about that day are certainly ones to treasure:
"Wasn’t I lucky to have had leaders like this under me who, without any further orders from me or anything on my part, kept going forward of their own accord. It is a tremendous thing to have commanded a company like that but, unfortunately, H Company was never to be the same again and neither was I...."

Also read John Horsfall's accounts of the battles in Tunisia and Italy. He had taken over as CO of 2 LIR on 15th May 1944 following the death of Lt Colonel Ion Goff.