Donald Robert Shillito

by Barbara Johnstone

A very early forbearer of mine was Donald Robert Shillito was born 1890 in Ballan, Victoria. Donald enlisted in the AIF in Melbourne on September 26, 1914 and sailed for the Middle East on the Thermistocies on December 22, 1914 landing in Alexandria on January 26, 1915. He was with the 12th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, First Division. Initially at Camp Mena he was moved to Lemnos Island on the Devanha from Alexandria on 2 March 2 1915.

He landed in Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 and was listed as missing in action the same day. He was later confirmed killed.

He is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli. His name can be read unlike so many on the same section that have deteriorated with time.