Home in Powell River, British Columbia or Moosomin, Saskatchewan; enlisted in Vancouver 9 January 1941. Trained at No.2 ITS (graduated 20 June 1941), No.5 EFTS (graduated 8 August 1941), and No.7 SFTS (graduated 23 October 1941). To No.7 OTU, 11 May 1942; to No.69 Squadron (Malta), 6 September 1942;-to UK, 8 March 1943. DFC and Bar presented at Buckingham Palace, 23 March 1943. Killed with three others 16 January 1944 when Beechcraft HB100 went missing between No.32 OTU and Vancouver, name on Ottawa Memorial. 32 Operational Training Unit, Patricia Bay, British Columbia. F/L Donkersley earned both his decorations while he was assigned to 69 Squadron, one citation reads, "In sorties against enemy shipping this officer has achieved much success. One night in Nov , 1942, he captained an aircraft detailed to drop flares over Italian naval units, and accomplished his task successfully. Several nights later he attacked and sank a small merchant vessel. On another night, in Dec , 1942, he participated in an operation against an important enemy convoy in the Mediterranean. As a result other air and surface forces were enabled to strike successfully; two merchant vessels were sunk and one badly damaged. P/O Donkersley is a courageous leader who has displayed great initiative in the face of the enemy." F/L Donkersley was killed when Beechcraft aircraft HB 100 crashed near Patricia Bay during a a ferry flight from Rockcliffe, Ontario to Patricia Bay, British Columbia. F/O E. Sowerby, S/Ls J.G. Flaherty, and J. Pringle (RAF) were also killed. Addendum: - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.69 Squadron - Award effective 8 November 1942 as per London Gazette dated 20 November 1942 and AFRO 1962/42 dated 4 December 1942. The citation reads - "This officer has recently achieved much success against enemy shipping. One day in October 1942, he attacked a tanker, inflicting severe damage. A few nights later he located and attacked a convoy of four merchant ships escorted by several destroyers. After making his attack he returned to base; rearmed and made a second attack. Early next morning reconnaissance aircraft carried [out] a search over a wide area in the vicinity of the attack and observed that three of the enemy ships were missing. Some nights later Pilot Officer Donkersley attacked one of two ships escorted by destroyers, setting the vessel on fire. Later it was learned that the ship had sunk. The success which attended his efforts deprived the enemy of much fuel so vital for the battle in Africa." DONKERSLEY, P/O Harry Woodward (58203) - Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross -No.69 Squadron - Award effective 26 December 1942 as per London Gazette dated 29 December 1942 and AFRO 185/43 dated 5 February 1943. The citation for this award is shown on page 188 Detail provided by H. Halliday, Orleans, Ontario.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Flight Lieutenant Harry Woodward Donkersley has no known grave.

Crew on Expeditor Mk. II HB100

Beechcraft Expeditor

(RCAF Photo) (Source Harold A Skaarup web page)
Beechcraft CT-128 Expeditor Mk. 3TM (Serial No. A-734), (Serial No. CA-134), RCAF (Serial No. 1534), coded AO-N, Air Transport Command.

The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November 1969 (over 32 years, a world record at the time), over 9,000 were built, making it one of the world's most widely used light aircraft. Sold worldwide as a civilian executive, utility, cargo aircraft, and passenger airliner on tailwheels, nosewheels, skis, or floats, it was also used as a military aircraft.

During and after World War II, over 4,500 Beech 18s were used in military service"”as light transport, light bomber (for China), aircrew trainer (for bombing, navigation, and gunnery), photo-reconnaissance, and "mother ship" for target drones"”including Royal Canadian Airforce (RCAF), United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) C-45 Expeditor, AT-7 Navigator, and AT-11 Kansan; and United States Navy (USN) UC-45J Navigator, SNB-1 Kansan, and others. In World War II, over 90% of USAAF bombardiers and navigators and pilots trained in these aircraft.

In the early postwar era, the Beech 18 was the pre-eminent "business aircraft" and "feeder airliner". Besides carrying passengers, its civilian uses have included aerial spraying, sterile insect release, fish stocking, dry-ice cloud seeding, aerial firefighting, air-mail delivery, ambulance service, numerous movie productions, skydiving, freight, weapon- and drug-smuggling, engine testbed, skywriting, banner towing, and stunt aircraft. Wikipedia

Expeditor

Wikipedia Expeditor

Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:

RCAF On Strength (415), Canadian Aircraft Losses (21), RCN On Strength (1)

last update: 2021-10-16 20:08:00

Expeditor Mk. II HB100

Ex USAAF UC-45B serial number 43-35463, ex RAF HB100. Assigned to No. 32 Operational Training Unit, RCAF Stations Patricia Bay or Comox, BC. Went missing over BC lower mainland on ferry flight from Rockcliffe, 16 January 1944. Ownership transferred to No. 3 Repair Depot on 5 September 1944 for write off. 4 fatalities. Wreckage still not located in 2011.
1943-12-02 Taken on Strength No. 3 Training Command 2019-08-20
1944-January-16 Accident: 32 Operational Training Unit Loc: Names: Donkersley | Flaherty | Pringle | Sowerby
1944-12-06 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20

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32 OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF) (32 Operational Training Unit)

The Operational Training Unit (OTU) was the last stop for aircrew trainees. They spent 8 to 14 weeks learning to fly operational aircraft (Hawker Hurricane or Fairey Swordfish, e.g.). The instructors had experience in actual operations, and often were posted to OTUs after their operational tour. More information on the RCAF Station at Patricia Bay, British Columbia can be found at

RCAF.info - Patricia Bay, British Columbia

BC Aviation Museum Video On History Of Pat Bay

1941-08-22 Primary Location Patricia Bay BC Canada