Christopher’s ID Card as issued by the Prisoner of War Department in the Hague.
One of eleven children, Christopher McDonald was 17 when he joined the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, in 1913. His two brothers, Daniel and Peter were also in the army, Daniel becoming a Regimental Sergeant Major of the RDF.
Propaganda material from Limburg Prisoner of War camp depicted a Clothing Store, among other facilities.
Christopher was one of the 2nd Dubs (‘The Old Toughs’) who landed at Le Havre with General French’s Expeditionary Force, known later as ‘The Old Contemptibles’, in August 1914.
Taken prisoner at Le Cateau, he spent the rest of the war at Limburg POW (prisoner-of-war) camp.
This interior view of a hospital ward at Limburg Prisoner of War camp appeared in a propaganda publication. Captions appeared in German, French and English.
After the war, Christopher spent about a year in Dublin before emigrating to Glasgow, where he worked on the Scottish Railways.
A Memorial Cross at Limburg Prisoner of War camp bearing the names of the many Irish soldiers who died there.
His friend, Glaswegian and fellow Royal Dublin Fusilier, Bob Downie, was one of the three Dublins who won the Victoria Cross.
 A commemorative pin which belonged to Christopher McDonald. |
 Robert (Bob) Downie, former Sergeant of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, was one of the few who received the highest military honour, the Victoria Cross. |