Source: T.O.S. December 1916 per War Diary. Originally of the 21st Battalion.
Family Search: When Lieutenant Alyn Godwin Donaldson was born on 30 March 1894, in Brockville, Leeds and Grenville, Ontario, Canada, his father, Allan Scott Donaldson, was 33 and his mother, Francis Louise Godwin, was 30. He married Elaine Sieber on 9 January 1939, in Cook, Illinois, United States. He registered for military service in 1915. In 1915, at the age of 21, his occupation is listed as brakeman. He died on 26 March 1967, in Brockville, Leeds and Grenville, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 72, and was buried in Oakland Cemetery, Brockville, Leeds and Grenville, Ontario, Canada.
For an excellent summary of this soldier’s service please go here.
COMRADE WAS KILLED IN BED ALONGSIDE HIM
Nerve-Trying Experience of Son of Mayor Donaldson of Brockville
Monday morning Mayor Donaldson of Brockville received a letter from his son, Private Allyn Donaldson, 21st Battalion, from France. Among other things he says:
We have had awfully hard luck. Poor Lieut. Wilgress, Sergeant Ennos [Ennoss] and Reg Trevor were killed by a shell. The shell burst about ten feet from Lieut. Wilgress and Sergeant Ennos and the nose of the shell came through our dugout and killed poor Trevor.
We were on sentry duty all night and shortly after breakfast another fellow and I were standing in one of the bays, and we saw two of our boys going across the field and someone said: “Watch those fellows get it.” The words were not sooner spoken when a rifle bullet killed both of them. Two of the stretcher bearers went out to get them, one of them was killed and the other badly wounded.
About 1 a.m. we got into bed and we were talking about 15 minutes when I aside to Trevor: “We had better lie down and sleep until dinner.” Well, we weren’t lying down more than ten minutes when I felt dirt fall down on my head and left shoulder. I then turned over on my side and saw poor Trevor lying dead beside me. We were sleeping side by side, and my body was touching him. He received the nose of the bullet in the head. It certainly was a terrible shock. This happened on the 27th of October.
I wrote and told you about poor Bob Deegan. Neither he nor Pte. Trevor know what happened to them.
Source: The St. Lawrence Republican. Wednesday December 29, 1915. Page 4.
Wins Commission on Service With 21st Battalion
A cable message from Pte. Alyn Godwin Donaldson, machine gun section, 21st Battalion, to his father, ex-mayor Allan Donaldson, yesterday stated that the former was at Shorncliffe Camp, England, to qualify for a commission in the forces in which he has served as a private since March 1, 1915. Pte. Donaldson on account of his good work in the field was recommended for a commission as long ago as April. he is the second Brockville man on the 21st to recently receive a commission. Pte. Bert Lewis having been similarly honoured for his proficiency in the firing line. The cable-gram from Pte. Donaldson simply stated “Here for Commission.”
Pte. Donaldson enlisted in the 21st Battalion on March 1, 1915, went overseas May 5 following and entering the trenches in Belgium on September 15. He has passed unscathed through all the fighting which the 21st has been engaged, including the battle of St. Eloi, his machine gun section doing a splendid work. At Shorncliffe he will attend a school instruction to qualify for his new rank.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 