The Rev. Donald George Macphail

MacPHAIL, The Rev. DONALD GEORGE

• Rank: Chaplain
• Date of Death: 27/06/1918
• Age: 55
• Regiment/Service: Canadian Army Chaplains Department attd. 72nd Bn. Canadian Infantry
• Grave Reference: South-East corner.
• Cemetery: LAMPAUL CHURCHYARD, ILE D'OUESSANT
• Additional Information: Son of Donald and Christina MacPhail, of Perth, Ontario; husband of Louisa B. MacPhail, of 35, King St. West, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Honorary Captain The Reverend Donald George MacPhail

Donald was born April 23, 1864, son of Donald and Christina MacPhail. He was ordained to the ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Canada, beginning his career to the Church at Picton. After that he spent several years ministering out west before coming to Knox Church in Cayuga. When the war began Donald enlisted in the 114th Battalion. In April of 1918 he transferred to the 72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Vancouver as Chaplain of that Regiment and left for overseas to France where he labored for the welfare and comfort of his men for 18 months. He was then transferred to England and placed in charge of hospitals, as visiting Chaplain. Due to ill health, he was given the position of Chaplain on the Hospital Ship Llandovery Castle, conveying wounded Canadian troops to Canada. Donald’s ship was torpedoed on June 27, 1918 when he returned to England from Halifax and he drowned in the sinking.

His body was found near Ouessant Island (France) on September 1st, and buried in Ouessant's Lampaul communal cemetery.

Source:Haldimand Museums Educational Package

Documents:

• Military Personnel File Links:
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record
• Canadian Great War Project
• Canadian Virtual War Memorial

• Residence: Apr 4 1881 - Drummond, Lanark South, Ontario, Canada
• Race: Scottish (Écossais)
• Religion: Presbyterian (Presbytérienne)
• Reference: 1881 Canada Census - SmartCopy: Feb 27 2017, 4:15:51 UTC