| Regimental number | 3290 |
| Place of birth | Abbotsford, Victoria |
| School | Cambridge Street State School, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Concrete hand |
| Address | 39 Chapel Street, Fitzroy, Victoria |
| Marital status | Married |
| Age at embarkation | 32 |
| Height | 5' 7.5" |
| Weight | 154 lbs |
| Next of kin | Wife, Mrs R M Donohue, 39 Chapel Street, Fitzroy, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Nil |
| Enlistment date | |
| Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 8th Battalion, 11th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/25/4 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A71 Nestor on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 60th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 33 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 20), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 169 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: William and Harriet DONOHUE, husband of R.M. DONOHUE. Native of Abbotsford, Victoria |
| Family/military connections | Cousins: 58 Pte Albert Harold ANSELL, 6th Bn, killed in action, 8 May 1915; 59 Pte Allan ANSELL, 6th Bn, killed in action, 25 April 1915; |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Admitted to 1st Auxiliary Hospital, Heliopolis, 21 November 1915 (corns on feet); discharged to Base Details, 3 December 1915. Transferred to and taken on strength of, 59th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 26 February 1916. Transferred to, and taken on strength of, 60th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 15 March 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Reported Missing, 19 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 4 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'. Statement, Red Cross File No 940211, 3382 Pte A.J. LAURIE, 60th Bn, 12 June 1917: 'Casualty was a friend of mine. He was beside me at Fleurbaix as we went over the parapet together in the first wave on the 19th July. Casualty was a stretcher bearer. I saw him killed by a machine gun bullet. He was hit in the head. As I lay wounded not far from him he said to me - "If you get back tell them you saw me knocked." He knew he was done. I heard him calling out for water about two hours afterwards.' Second statement by LAURIE, 20 (?) June 1917: 'I saw Casualty hit on the 19th July at Fleurbaix at 6.45 a.m. He called out and fell near our trench. He was just in the act of getting through our own barbed wire. His body probably fell into the creek where numbers of our boys fell.' Note on file: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills. 10.10.19.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, DONOHUE William Petrel
Red Cross File No 940211 |
Postal Address:
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Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
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Campbell, ACT 2600
