Studio portrait of 659 Sergeant (Sgt) Arnold Henry McDonald Belgian Croix de Guerre taken while ...

Studio portrait of 659 Sergeant (Sgt) Arnold Henry McDonald Belgian Croix de Guerre taken while on leave in Australia. Originally from Dunedin, NZ, Sergeant McDonald was a surveyor's axeman from Parana, NSW prior to enlistment and embarked with the rank of Private with F Company, 2nd Battalion from Sydney on HMAT Suffolk on 18 October 1914. Whilst serving at Gallipoli he was wounded in action and evacuated to Lemnos for treatment. After rejoining his unit he was promoted to Corporal. Later serving on the Western Front he was promoted to Sergeant and awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre. Later with the rank of Acting Lieutenant he returned to Australia on "Special" or "Anzac" leave which was granted to those soldiers who had enlisted in early 1914 and were still on active service in 1918. Sgt McDonald is wearing a red, white and blue rosette on each shoulder of his uniform as a sign of his status. He is also wearing an "A" on his colour patch which denotes that he served at Gallipoli. He later went on to serve in the Second World War under the name of Henry Arnold McDonald as a Lieutenant in Army Signals.