Donald McKenzie Wishart was born on 2 July 1891 at 23 Church View in Prestwich, Lancashire.  He was fifth child of James Wishart, a cotton manufacturer from Aberdeen, and his wife, Jessie Morphet.  His father died in 1909, and by 1911 Donald had left school and was working as a clerk in the poor law union.

Donald enlisted under the Derby scheme in Bradford on 25 November 1915 and sent into the army reserve.  He was eventually mobilised for active service on 10 February 1916 and posted to the 3/7th West Riding Regiment, a ‘third line’ training battalion based in Halifax who became the 7th (Reserve) Battalion on 8 April while at Clipstone Camp.

On 5 July Donald boarded a ship in Southampton for Boulogne and sent to No. 34 Infantry Base Depot in Etaples where he was processed before joining the 1st/7th Duke of Wellingtons (West Riding Regiment) in the field.  At the time Donald arrived at his new unit, the Wellingtons were serving on the Somme and at the start of September were positioned at Thiepval Wood. On 3 September the battalion came under continuous enemy artillery attack, with 25 men being killed on that day alone, including Donald.  His body was either not identified or recovered, and he was subsequently commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

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