Donald Wellow Baldwin Donkin MBE (1929 - 2016)

Born 3 Jan 1929 in Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 30 Jul 2016 at age 87 in Cromer, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Don Donkin MBE was born in New South Wales, Australia

Donald Wellow Baldwin Donkin was born on 3rd January 1929 in Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia. He was the fourth son of Gordon Donkin and Madeline Wellfare. The family moved to the Manly district during the Great Depression, following work. Don attended Harbord Catholic School and Christian Brothers College. ^[1]

When Don was about seventeen he met Moira Houston, who was a year younger than he. Romance blossomed slowly and they married on 17th March 1951 in St Matthew's Church of England (Anglican Church), Manly. ^[2][1]

Don Donkin MBE is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Regular Army 1946-1980
Warrant Officer Class 1 (Regimental Sergeant Major)

Don enlisted in the Commonwealth Military Force (as the Australian Army was then known) in June 1946 (he had attempted earlier but they found out he was too young). After an initial posting to the Guard Platoon, Victoria Barracks, Paddington, New South Wales, he joined A Battery, Royal Australian Artillery. In 1948 he was posted to Japan with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. He was promoted to Bombardier in 1949 and to Sergeant in 1952. ^[1]

Don served in the Korean War as a Sergeant in 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR). ^[3] He returned to A Battery after his tour of duty. After a three-year posting to the School of Artillery (then conveniently situated at North Head, Manly), he was posted to 102nd Battery as a Warrant Officer Class 2.

Don served in South Vietnam as a military advisor with the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) in 1963-64. For this service he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) on 1st January 1966. ^[4]

He completed a second tour in South Vietnam in 1970-71, as Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) of 4th Field Regiment on promotion to Warrant Officer Class 1 (the highest non-commissioned rank in the Army). ^[1][5]

Subsequent postings included RSM Eastern Command (back to Victoria Barracks, Paddington) 1971-73, RSM School of Artillery (back to North Head) 1973-78. ^[1]

Upon retiring from the Army, Don successfully applied for a job as the service member on a repatriation board, which he performed for some seven years. He then spent four years at the New South Wales Premier’s Office, in the protocol department, over the bi-centennial celebrations of 1988. In Don's own words, "... did 87, 88, 89 and you can imagine what 88 was like, it was absolutely tremendous. I met everybody that was anybody in the world, I don’t mean in New South Wales." ^[1]

Aged 87 years, Don passed away in July 2016 in Cromer, New South Wales. ^[6]

Honours and awards

Don deservedly received many honours and awards, listed here in order of precedence:

• Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
• Australian Service Medal 1945-75
• Australian Active Service Medal 1945-75 with Vietnam Clasp
• Vietnam Medal
• National Medal
• Defence Medal
• Korea Medal (issued by South Korea)
• United Nations Service Medal Korea (issued by United Nations)
• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (issued by South Vietnam)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5} UNSW Australians at War Film Archive; accessed 14 Jan 2021
2. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #1806/1951
3. ↑ Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: 21398 Sergeant Donald Wellow Donkin; accessed 14 Jan 2021
4. ↑ Australian Honours: MBE; accessed 14 Jan 2021
5. ↑ Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: 21398 Warrant Officer Class 1 Donald Wellow Baldwin Donkin; accessed 14 Jan 2021
6. ↑ obit; accessed 14 Jan 2021