Macdonald entered the
Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from where he was commissioned into the
King's Own Scottish Borderers on 1 September 1927 and served in the
Second World War. He commanded the 1st Battalion, the King's Own Scottish Borderers on its deployment to
Korea in April 1951 and then took command of the
28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade in Korea in October 1951. His brigade saw action at the
First Battle of Maryang-san in October 1951 during the
Korean War. He went on to be commander of
31st Infantry Brigade in November 1952, Deputy Director of Quartering at the
War Office in January 1956 and Chief of Staff at
Scottish Command in March 1957. His last appointment was as General Officer Commanding
52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division in 1958 before retiring in 1961. ==Works==