Royal Life Saving Society of Canada Medallion; bronze 25.5mm
Captain Frederick William (Wyld) Macdonald, MC, VD joined the 48th in 1912 at age 21. He went overseas with the 15th Battalion (48th Highlanders) in 1914 and was captured at 2nd Ypres on 22 April 1915 during the first chlorine gas attack of the war. He was awarded the Military Cross. Upon repatriation to Toronto he rejoined the 48th Highlanders. When the Second World War broke out he volunteered again, enrolled and graduated from Royal Military College in 1942 and served with the Royal Canadian Artillery.
His father, Brigadier William Macdonald, was an original 48th officer being appointed Major upon joining in 1891 from the Queen’s Own Rifles. He became the Regiment’s third Commanding Officer serving in that role from 1900 to 1906. Macdonald subsequently commanded the 16th (Toronto) Infantry Brigade in 1908 and during the First World War the 1st Canadian Infantry Training Brigade at Exhibition Camp in Toronto. On Jan. 21 1917, while seeing off Canadian Army Service Corps soldiers Brig. Macdonald was killed at Union Station by a reversing train engine.