Source: 160th Bn. members who served with the 18th Battalion Spreadsheet by Kent Kramer.
Find-A-Grave
CHESLEY MAN SUICIDED BY HANGING SELF
Stewart McDonald Took His Own Life Thursday Night
WAS DESPONDENT
Body Found Hanging in Barn Early Friday Morning
(Special to the Sun-Times)
CHESLEY, May 1—Residents of Chesley were shocked on Friday morning when it became known that Mr. Stewart McDonald, a well known citizen here, had ended here all his life had taken his own life by hanging himself. It was evident that he was in a despondent frame of mind early on Thursday evening, but little thought was given to the matter until his dead body was found on Friday morning hanging from a joist in the barn at the rear by the residence of his father-in-law, Mr. Robert Burns, with whom he resided.
It was along in the evening that Mr. McDonald had a light lunch in the home and then remarked that he was going out for a short time, but evidently he had made up his mind as to what he intended to do, and lost no time in doing it, as when he was found by Mr. Burns rigor mortis had already set in and it was stated by a physician that he had been dead at least eight hours. Dr. J. A. Rannie, Coroner, was at once notified, and stated that as it was a clear case of suicide there could be no inquest.
The late Mr. McDonald was 40 years of age, and leaves to mourn the late Mr. and Mrs. Donald McDonald. He was born in Chesley and lived here all his life with the exception of the time when he served overseas during the great war with the 160th Bruce Battalion. He was highly thought of by every one who knew him and his friends find it difficult to understand why he would want to take his own life. He is survived by his wife, and two small children. Pinned to his coat was a brief note bidding his wife and children good-bye, also his father-in-law, Mr. Burns. He also leaves two brothers, in Toronto, and one brother, whose place of residence is not known. Another brother was killed in action over-seas.
The Sun Times
Fri, May 01, 1936 ·Page 1
LATE S. MCDONALD IS BURIED MONDAY
Many Citizens and War Comrades Pay Last Tribute
CHESLEY, May 5—Many citizens of Chesley and vicinity turned out Monday afternoon to attend the funeral of the late Stewart McDonald, to pay their last tribute to a being whom who has always been held in great esteem in the community. A victim of despondency, he committed suicide by hanging at a late hour on Friday night, leaving a note pinned to his coat, bidding farewell to his wife and two little children and to his father-in-law.
Many beautiful floral tributes at-tested to his esteem in which he was held, and his comrades of the 160th and 18th Battalions and of the Chesley Forest No. 144 of the Canadian Legion acted as pall bearers and flower bearers and took part in the service at the cemetery. The pallbearers were Comrades M. McLean and W. H. McCurdy, and Messrs. B. Bowie, W. Wagner, W. Arkell and E. Jefkins. Rev. S. B. Stokes, pastor of St. John’s United Church of which the deceased was a member, conducted the funeral service at his late residence on Adam street and the committal service at Chesley cemetery, where the remains were interred. Following the committal service, his comrades of the Canadian Legion gathered around the grave and dropped poppies on the casket, after which two minutes silence was t observed and Bandmaster W. Leslie Richards sounded the “Last Post” and “Reveille”.
The late Mr. McDonald is survived by his wife, whom he married about four years ago, and two small children, the youngest being about four weeks old. He is also survived by two sisters in Toronto and 2 brothers, one of whom is sailing on the ocean and the other whose whereabouts at present are unknown. He was born in Chesley and spent his entire life here with the exception of the time he served with the 160th Bruce Battalion, dur-ing the Great War, from 1916 to the end of the war. He was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Donald McDonald of Chesley.
The Sun Times
Tue, May 05, 1936 ·Page 3
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 