The AIF Project

Donald Spencer BUCHANAN

Regimental number1911
Place of birthBexhill, New South Wales
SchoolBox Hill State School, New South Wales
ReligionProtestant
OccupationFarming
AddressNimbun, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation20
Next of kinFather, S A Buchanan, Nimbin, New South Wales
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date8 February 1915
Place of enlistmentLismore, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name15th Battalion, 5th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/32/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A55 Kyarra on 16 April 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll15th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 27 August 1915
Place of death or woundingGallipoli, Turkey
Date of death27 August 1915
Age at death20.11
Age at death from cemetery records21
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 17), Gallipoli, Turkey

The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey.

The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank.

The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
75
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Samuel Alexander and Emily Mosley BUCHANAN, Alphadale, Lismore, New South Wales. Native of Richmond River. 45
Family/military connectionsBrother: 1910 Lance Corporal Leonard Alexander BUCHANAN, 15th Bn, died of wounds, 29 August 1916.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

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