George Macdonald, 18 Laxay

Sergeant GEORGE MACDONALD
Last address in Lewis: 18 Laxay,
Son of John and Catherine Macdonald
Service unit: 5th Bde Canadian Field Artillery
Service number: 86167
Date of birth: 5 October 1888 
Date of death: 10 September 1918 at the age of 30
Died of gas poisoning in France
Interred: Aubigny Communal Cemetery extension, grave IV. B. 7.
Local memorial: Kinloch, Laxay
Served for some years in the Glasgow and Canadian Police Forces

Height: 6 ft 1 in
Complexion: Medium
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
Religion: Presbyterian
Trade / occupation: Labourer
Volunteered at Winnipeg on 9 December 1914

George was one of the children of John (1839) and Catherine (1850), the others being  Alex (1872), Angus (1874), Catherine (1878), Christina (1882), Hector (1891), Jessie Ann (1880), John (1886), Malcolm (1884), Malcolm (1876) and an unnamed female infant who died in 1893 after only 6 days.

His brother Malcolm also served with the Canadians but died in 1921; his brother Hector was in the Seaforth Highlanders, and survived the war. 

Stornoway Gazette, 4 October 1918
A deep gloom was cast over the village when the news spread that Mr John Macdonald ahd received word of the death of his son George, who died in France on September 10th, from gas poisoning. George, who was 30 years of age, well over six feet in height and built in proportion, spent a few years on the police force in Glasgow, from whence he emigrated to Canada over six years ago. He joined the Canadians in 1914, and was in France for nearly three years. Mr Macdonald has another two sons serving, Malcolm, who came over with the 1st Canadian Contingent and is still in France, while his youngest son, Hector, travelled all the way from South America at his own expense and joined the county regiment on his arrival in England. The deep sympathy of the whole community is extneded to the aged parents, brothers and sisters in their sore bereavement.