Donald Wilson R14308 Sergeant
Sergeant Donald Wilson was born on July 12, 1924. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), rising to the rank of Sergeant by the time he turned 20. He served as an Air Gunner in Lancaster bombers with 49 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Bomber Command, stationed in Lincolnshire, England. It was not unusual to have members of air forces from different countries working together as air crews during the later stages of the war.
It turned out that their 13th operational sortie was to prove unlucky for Don’s crew. Roused from sleep they joined a massive fleet of bombers heading to two railway targets in France. This is the Squadron’s account of that night:
“Two railway targets at Aulnoye and Revigny in France had been selected for attack by 253 Lancasters and 10 Mosquitoes of 1,3,5 and 8 Groups. P/O Burns RCAF (JB701) and crew were the first away from Fiskerton at 22.38hrs, ahead of 14 other Lancasters from the squadron all bound for the rail junction at Revigny. F/O Pederson (ND512) and crew were coned by searchlights just after crossing the enemy coast; the pilot managed to evade the searchlights by corkscrewing his aircraft for 3 minutes.
Both railway targets were hit, severing the rail lines to the battle front, although several bomb aimers reported confusion caused by fires burning near the Red Spot, believed to be aircraft which had been shot down.
On their return leg, a Lancaster flown by F/O Deacon received flak damage. A prowling night fighter was attracted to the damaged bomber and came in to finish them off. Six crew members, including the skipper F/O Roy Deacon RCAF, managed to escape from Q-Queenie safely, but sadly P/O Albert Rammage RCAF, did not survive and is buried in Vassimont-et-Chapelaine Churchyard, Marne.
Lancaster JB473 (EA-W) - flight crew: F/O R.M. Deacon RCAF Pilot (P.o.W.), Sgt H. Sharp F/E (Evaded), Sgt W. Fortune NAV (Evaded), Sgt J.A. Diley W/OP (Evaded), Sgt D. Wilson RCAF A/G (Evaded), Sgt A.R. Harpell RCAF B/A (Evaded), P/O A.J. Rammage RCAF A/G (Killed) - Crew on their 13th operation.
With the assistance of the French five members of the crew evaded capture; Sgt John Diley, F/Sgt Allan Harpell, RCAF, and Sgt Harold Sharp returned to England on 3 September 1944 followed by Sgt Don Wilson, RCAF, the next day. Sgt Bill Fortune also returned during early September. Their pilot, F/O Deacon, RCAF, escaped by parachute, but on landing broke his leg after hitting a tree. The French tried to help him but eventually had to hand him over to the German authorities. He was taken to the Military Hospital at Chalons-sur-Marne and then later transferred to the hospital attached to the POW camp. At the end of August, the town was liberated by the advancing Americans. “Walking” out of the camp, Roy Deacon was handed over by the Americans to the Red Cross. On Saturday 2 September he arrived at Horsham St Faith near Norwich in a B-24 Liberator.”
Don returned to Canada and settled in Scarborough. He and his wife Joey raised two daughters, Donna and Sandy. He worked for the Metropolitan Toronto Police, and was a very active member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 258, Highland Creek, serving in all executive capacities including secretary and treasurer. He was Branch President 1957-1958, then Zone D-7 Commander, and Zone D Commander. In 1971 he was elected Ontario Command President. To recognize all of Don’s contributions to the Legion he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, and further recognition from the addition of the Palm Leaf. These are the highest awards that are granted for outstanding service to the Legion.
A man of faith, Don also served as Warden and Lay Reader at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Beaverton, as well as Treasurer of the Victoria-Haliburton Deanery Council. He passed away suddenly at age 72 on March 14, 1997, at his Scarborough home, and was remembered and honoured at the funeral service at St. Paul’s.
We thank him for his service.
We will remember them.
https://www.49squadron.co.uk/personnel_index/detail/Evader_Wilson
