Allan McDonald
Encyclopedia
Allan McKenzie McDonald, DFC
(4 July 1888 – 10 June 1953) was an Australia
n politician.
, the fourth child of contractor Allan McDonald and Elizabeth, née McKenzie. He attended Winchelsea State School and subsequently worked as a farm labourer and then farmer. He married domestic servant Sarah Mary Farquharson at Birregurra
on 17 September 1913. When his father died in 1914, McDonald succeeded him on Winchelsea Shire Council, where he remained for almost forty years.
, and was assigned to the 14th Battalion in France
in December. He was wounded (shot in the left arm) on 11 April 1917 at Bullecourt
, and after his dischargement was hospital served at Polygon Wood in Belgium
in September. He was promoted to sergeant in October, but was returned to Australia on account of his injured arm and discharged in October 1918.
seat of Corangamite
in the Australian federal election, 1919
and 1922
elections, representing the Nationalist Party
. He gained political experience as a party organiser, and succeeded his uncle James to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
seat of Polwarth
in 1933, representing the United Australia Party
. Although considered a possible Victorian party leader, he resigned in 1940 to contest the federal election
.
McDonald was successful in winning Corangamite for the UAP in 1940. He was minister for external territories in the governments of Robert Menzies
and Arthur Fadden
in 1941, and contested the UAP leadership in 1941 and 1943. He was known as an advocate of benefits for returned servicemen, and was Opposition whip from 1946-49. When Menzies and the Liberal Party
took government in 1949, McDonald stepped back from prominence, confining himself to party room discussion; this may have been due to his ill health.
A devout Presbyterian and monarchist, McDonald died of cancer
on 10 June 1953 at Winchelsea, survived by his wife, four daughters, and one of his two sons. He was given a state funeral.
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(4 July 1888 – 10 June 1953) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician.
Early life
McDonald was born at Winchelsea, VictoriaWinchelsea, Victoria
Winchelsea is a town in Victoria, Australia. It is in the Surf Coast Shire local government area and located on the Barwon River 115 km south-west of Melbourne and close to Geelong .- History :...
, the fourth child of contractor Allan McDonald and Elizabeth, née McKenzie. He attended Winchelsea State School and subsequently worked as a farm labourer and then farmer. He married domestic servant Sarah Mary Farquharson at Birregurra
Birregurra, Victoria
Birregurra is a town in Victoria, Australia approximately 130 km south-west of Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Birregurra had a population of 688....
on 17 September 1913. When his father died in 1914, McDonald succeeded him on Winchelsea Shire Council, where he remained for almost forty years.
Military service
In April 1916, McDonald joined the Australian Imperial ForceAustralian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
, and was assigned to the 14th Battalion in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in December. He was wounded (shot in the left arm) on 11 April 1917 at Bullecourt
Bullecourt
Bullecourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in France.-Geography:Bullecourt lies on the Upper Cretaceous plain of Artois between Arras and Bapaume and east of the A1 motorway. This shows Bullecourt just north of centre. Quéant is the larger of the two...
, and after his dischargement was hospital served at Polygon Wood in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in September. He was promoted to sergeant in October, but was returned to Australia on account of his injured arm and discharged in October 1918.
Politics
McDonald continued as a councillor on Winchelsea Shire Council, and unsuccessfully contested the House of RepresentativesAustralian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
seat of Corangamite
Division of Corangamite
The Division of Corangamite is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
in the Australian federal election, 1919
Australian federal election, 1919
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1919. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes defeated the opposition Australian...
and 1922
Australian federal election, 1922
Federal elections were held in Australia on 16 December 1922. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes lost its majority...
elections, representing the Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
. He gained political experience as a party organiser, and succeeded his uncle James to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
seat of Polwarth
Electoral district of Polwarth
The Electoral district of Polwarth is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It covers much of the rural territory west of Geelong and includes the towns of Anglesea, Lorne, Lismore, Colac, Camperdown, Terang and Mortlake....
in 1933, representing the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
. Although considered a possible Victorian party leader, he resigned in 1940 to contest the federal election
Australian federal election, 1940
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 September 1940. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
.
McDonald was successful in winning Corangamite for the UAP in 1940. He was minister for external territories in the governments of Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
and Arthur Fadden
Arthur Fadden
Sir Arthur William Fadden, GCMG was an Australian politician and, briefly, the 13th Prime Minister of Australia.-Introduction:...
in 1941, and contested the UAP leadership in 1941 and 1943. He was known as an advocate of benefits for returned servicemen, and was Opposition whip from 1946-49. When Menzies and the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
took government in 1949, McDonald stepped back from prominence, confining himself to party room discussion; this may have been due to his ill health.
A devout Presbyterian and monarchist, McDonald died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
on 10 June 1953 at Winchelsea, survived by his wife, four daughters, and one of his two sons. He was given a state funeral.