Thomas William McDonald (December 1869 – 14 August 1968), sometimes known as Colonel Mac, was a United Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand.

He enlisted in the Tasmanian Auxiliary Force and in his early twenties he moved to New Zealand in pursuit of a professional military career.

In an attempt to avoid a repeat incident McDonald and the council purchased a horse drawn fire engine in 1906.

[8] Prior to World War I, he was Lieutenant Colonel and in charge of the Otago Infantry Battalion, which trained at Tahuna Park in Dunedin.

Having fought in Egypt, he returned to New Zealand before the end of the war due to sickness contracted while in the Sahara desert.

After months of recovery in Egypt he was invalided back to New Zealand where he was posted to home defence duties.

[15] In old age he was engaged in a lengthy dispute over his right to superannuation payments owed to him as a former member of parliament.