Educated at the Nagambie State School, he gained a thorough knowledge of cattle and sheep and farming from his family's property, "Winbrae". In 1910, once he had finished his formal schooling, he moved to Melbourne and began a four-year evening course of studies at the highly regarded Stott and Hoare's Business College, at 426 Collins Street, Melbourne, whilst working in the day time as a stock and station agent with Pearson, Rowe, Smith, and Co., 416 Bourke Street, Melbourne.
Footballer
Two of Fen's brothers played a single VFL match with Essendon, on the same day : Edwin Patrick "Ted" McDonald, and Archibald William Campbell "Arch" McDonald. Strongly built, he was rather fast on his feet, and had some success as a handicap runner. Once in Melbourne, he played in the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association competition, with the Carlton District team. Carlton noticed his impressive performance, signed him up, and he played his VFL first match, aged 20, against St Kilda, on 29 July 1911. Carlton thrashed St Kilda by 114 points, and none of the forwards saw much of the ball as most of those up the ground were concentrating on feeding the ball to Carlton's full-forward, Vin Gardiner, who kicked 10 goals. Situated in the back pocket, McDonald saw little of the play – St Kilda only scored 2.3 – yet he did make it down to the forward line and kicked one goal. During the next season he played nine senior games, mainly in the backline; and at the end of the season, he decided to move to Melbourne. In 1913, he played one senior match for Melbourne, against Essendon on 14 June 1913. Essendon beat Melbourne by 41 points. One match report noted that "McDonald was another player who did a lot of hard work for Melbourne under discouraging circumstances", whilst another commented that "McDonald… did very good work". He then returned to the District team, and did not play another VFL match. He played for the Carlton District team in 1914 as well, and concentrated on completing the last year of his studies.
Soldier
Leaving his employment with Pearson, Rowe, Smith, and Co., 416 Bourke Street, Melbourne, he enlisted in the First AIF on 17 August 1914, and served, as a private, in the 7th Battalion, A.I.F. His brother, Stanley David McDonald, also served in the First AIF, enlisting on 20 May 1915, before the news of Fen's death had reached his family.
Death
He died at Gallipoli, Ottoman Turkey on during the first landings on 25 April 1915. It is not known how he died; and it is presumed that he was either shot dead or blown up in the process of making the beach. One of his best mates from Melbourne, Harold Denston, who worked as a clerk in a Collins Street insurance office, was also killed in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. Claude Crowl who had played his first game for St Kilda on the same day that McDonald made his debut for Carlton, also died in action at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. A special medal named in McDonald's and Crowl's honour was presented to the best player on the ground in the match played between St Kilda and Carlton on the hundredth anniversary of the Gallipoli landings.
