Toronto, Ontario
Mr. MacDonell is a Second World War Veteran who was a prisoner of war following the Battle of Hong Kong. Following the war and after a distinguished career in both the private and public sectors, Mr. MacDonell turned his attention to writing his memoirs. In 2000, he published This Soldier's Story and in 2002, a greatly expanded version renamed One Soldier's Story. Mr. MacDonell has distributed his books to schools, groups and the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association, where they may be purchased on the association's Web site. Whenever requested, Mr. MacDonell makes himself available to deliver presentations to schools and groups. During the Year of the Veteran in 2005, Mr. MacDonell participated in a pilgrimage to Hong Kong. He and five of his comrades watched as youth buried a Remembrance Capsule at Sai Wan Cemetery, where 283 Canadians are laid to rest. Mr. MacDonell wrote the foreword to a booklet, Passing the Torch, our Youth Remembers Hong Kong, which captures the activities and memories of the trip. He also authored his own recollections, The Last Goodbye.