Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Peter William McDonald was the eldest of 3 known children, 2 sons and a daughter, born to Robert McDonald of Whitehaven born 1841 and Sarah Parkin born 1839 at Penrith, both in the county of Cumberland. Sarah had an illegitimate son Henry Parkin born 1865 at Penrith, who was 18 months old when she and Robert were married in the district of Whitehaven in 1867. Peter William was born 4 months after his parents wedding, registered at Carlisle, his brother Joseph at Penrith in 1870 at which time Robert McDonald was employed as a railway labourer, supporting his family living at 3, Lyall’s Yard, Maryport. In 1874 Sarah was pregnant with their 3rd child, tragically before the birth of Agnes during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1874, Joseph, only four-years old died. Ten years later they could be found at 40, Albert Street, Penrith, Peter William (13) and Agnes (6) were scholars, Henry Parkin (15) a blacksmith, Robert McDonald was employed as a mason’s labourer.
Robert McDonald died in 1884, his widow in 1891 was living in a shared property with widow Jane Douglas and her 2 adolescent children, at 91, Wilson Row, Penrith, with daughter Agnes and her brother, stone mason, Thompson Parkin. Peter William had left the family home and migrated to the north east, finally settling in County Durham where he was married, district of Lanchester, in 1893, to Rebecca Ann Waugh, born February 8th 1873 at South Moor, County Durham, with whom by 1911 he had had 9 children of whom 3 died. A year after their marriage they were living at Radcliffe, near Amble in Northumberland, where their daughter Sarah Mitchell was born November 23rd 1894, George Waugh in 1897 who tragically died within 3 months, this was followed by the death of his sister Sarah, aged 4, in 1898, just after the birth of John Waugh, April 27th 1898. By 1900 they had moved to Coxlodge, near Gosforth, a suburb of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, birthplace of Jonathan Waugh, April 20th 1900, before transferring to the district of Castle Ward, including Westerhope, Northumberland. July 2nd 1903 Margaret Isabel was born there as was Eliza Jane, September 4th 1905, Elizabeth Waugh, 1907 who died 1908, Elizabeth Cole, July 3rd 1908 and lastly James Doyle McDonald, February 6th 1911. Peter William and family were living in 3 rooms at Bensons Buildings, Westerhope in 1911, he worked below ground at the colliery as a charge man and was the only breadwinner.
When war was declared in August 1914, despite being 47 years of age, he enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, presumably in early 1915, as he was assigned as Private 9737 to the 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers which was stationed in Karachi, India and had departed, November 20th 1914 arriving at Portsmouth December 22nd, making its way to Winchester, joining the 64th Brigade, 28th Division. The main body of the regiment left for the western front in January 1915, Private McDonald did not join them until July 28th 1915, his regiment having returned to France after its engagement during the 2nd Battle of Ypres in Belgium.
The 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers participated at the Battle of Loos between September 25th-October 8th 1915, during which for the first time the British used poison gas. It was the biggest British attack of 1915 and the first mass engagement of Kitchener’s New Army units. The Franco-British attacks were to break through the German defences in the Artois and Champagne sectors, unfortunately this failed, Franco-British losses were very high.
Private 9737 Peter William McDonald Northumberland Fusiliers was killed in action during the Battle of Champagne, October 1st 1915. His sacrifice is recorded as one of 20,641 names inscribed on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, which forms the back and sides of Dud Corner Cemetery, Loos-en-Gohelle, 5 kilometres west of Lens. He was 48 years of age.
His widow Rebecca Ann of Bensons Buildings, Westerhope, received all monies due to him from the Army, his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, also a pension of 25 shillings a week awarded June 16th 1916 to be received as of June 19th. This was initially granted to her and 5 children until each reached the age of 16-years. She later had to repay 18 shillings at a rate of 2 shilling a week, as at the time of it being awarded in 1919 John Waugh McDonald was already 16 years old and this had gone unnoticed.
Jonathan Waugh McDonald enlisted once he was 18 years of age in 1918, he was a reservist with the Hampshire Regiment when the Armistice was declared, November 11th 1918 and discharged January 21st 1919.
Rebecca Ann McDonald nee Waugh died aged 59 years in the district of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, in 1931.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Peter William McDonald is remembered at Whorlton on W53.01
