Sources: Canadian Virtual War Memorial Guysborough Second World war Honour Roll blog

Name: Alexander John MacDonald Rank: Trooper Service Number: F/66322 Service: 5th Armoured Regiment, 8th Princess Louise's (New Brunswick) Hussars, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps Date of Birth: December 29, 1920 Place of Birth: Albert Bridge, Cape Breton Co., Nova Scotia Date of Enlistment: August 31, 1942 Place of Enlistment: Halifax, Nova Scotia Address at Enlistment: Albert Bridge, Cape Breton Co., Nova Scotia Age at Enlistment: 21 Height: 5 feet, 8 ½ inches Complexion: Medium Eye Colour: Blue Hair Colour: Brown Occupation: Steel worker, farmer, truck driver Marital Status: Single Religion: Presbyterian Next of Kin: Neil MacDonald (Father), Albert Bridge, NS Date of Death: December 27, 1944 Age: 23 Cemetery: Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Italy Grave: Plot 14, Row E, Grave 2 Commemorated on Page 370 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on August 6 Alexander John MacDonald was the son of Neil MacDonald (1884-1963) and Mary Ann (MacLean) MacDonald (1886-1984), of Albert Bridge, Nova Scotia, and the brother of Mary MacDonald (1912-2012), Catherine “Caddy” MacDonald (1915-1998), Lauchlin Daniel MacDonald (b. 1923), and Florence “Flora” Katherine MacDonald (1925-2011). After enlisting in August of 1942, and his initial training in Canada, he was granted embarkation leave from January 30, 1943, to February 9, 1943, before departing for Europe. He joined the 5th Armoured Regiment in the UK on June 18, 1943, and departed the UK for the Mediterranean for the Italian Campaign on November 14, 1943. He took part in several battles including the Battles for the Gothic Line and Coriano Ridge. On Christmas Day, December 25, 1944, at 2000 hours, Alexander was on the back of a motorcycle driven by Lance Corporal G H Cook. The motorcycle had run out of gas and MacDonald attempted to stop a jeep. The driver of the jeep did not see him and Alexander was struck. He died of his injuries 2 days later on December 27, 1944. It was two days before his 24th birthday. He was interred at the Coriano Ridge War Cemetery in Italy. Alexander boarded with an Italian family during a leave from his unit during the war, and they later wrote to his parents after his death to tell them how much they enjoyed having him in their home.