Dougall, Donald Charles (Flight Lieutenant)

Prisoner of War Early Release 1941-July-11

Flight Lieutenant Donald Charles Dougall RCAF

Birth Date: 1916-December-31

Born: Winnipeg, Greater Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Parents:

Spouse: Pat Dougall

Home: St Anne de Bellevue, Quebec

Enlistment: Montreal, Quebec

Enlistment Date: 1940-June-06

Distinguished Flying Cross

Service

RCAF

Unit

92 (F) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Aut Pugna Aut Morere Either fight or die

Base

RAF Biggin Hill

Rank

Flight Lieutenant

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

J/3710
PoW: 39326

Home
Google MapSt Anne de Bellevue, Quebec
The Winnipeg Tribune November 9, 1943

The Geneva Convention made provision for the repatriation of all Prisoners of War, even during hostilities. It was only possible for the British and Germans to reach agreement over the seriously ill and disabled. For the majority of the 40,000 British servicemen who were taken prisoner in 1939 and 1940, the war was to be a very long and dispiriting experience. Negotiations, conducted through the Red Cross, over the repatriation of seriously wounded men, had begun in late 1940. They did not progress very far because there were far fewer German men in this category than British. It was only after substantial numbers of Germans were taken prisoner in the Desert campaign of 1942 that the talks resumed. The actual exchange of prisoners did not take place until October 1943. Ullapool Museum, Ullapool, Scotland

Unvetted Source The Manchester Guardian, 1943-October-19 page 5

  1. Warrant Officer Edward Bradley Argue
  2. Warrant Officer Marie Joseph Alfred Jean Aumond
  3. Flight Lieutenant Donald Charles Dougall DFC
  4. Sergeant Howard Wallace Fullard
  5. Flight Lieutenant Ross Raymond Gillespie
  6. Flight Lieutenant William Minto MacKay
  7. Flight Lieutenant Donald Robert Morrison, DFC, DFM
  8. Flight Sergeant John Bayman Nickerson
  9. Warrant Officer James Alexander Smith
  10. Warrant Officer Jack Arthur Westwood
  11. Warrant Officer Walter Gordon Wilcox

Unvetted Source Dougall Donald Charles - Online Museum of Prisoners of War

Mission

Spitfire Mk Vb W3183

Escort Lille France 1941-July-11 to 1941-July-11

92 (F) Sqn (RAF) RAF Biggin Hill

Circus

92 East India Squadron (Aut pugna aut morere), RAF Biggin Hill. Spitfire Mk Vb W 3183 QJ-P, flown by Flight Lieutenant Donald Charles Dougall DFC (RCAF) escorting Stirling bombers to bomb targets in Lille, France as part of Circus 44. His aircraft was shot down near over St. Omer.

In Geoffrey Wellum's book "First Light", he confirmed that "Dougall was trying to warn his section leader, whoose R/T had failed, that they were being bounced by 109s. He pulled along side his leader, waggling his wings and pointing. In so doing he became separated, thereby offering himself as a target. Later we heard through the Red Cross, that he managed to bail out at 2000 feet, very badly wounded. It appears the Luftwaffe looked after him as they would one of their own pilots and he survived. He lost an arm and a leg. We were all delighted when he was awarded the DFC but Doug paid an awful price.

Flight Lieutenant Dougall become a Prisoner of War and was eventually sent to Stalag Luft 3. Flight Lieutenant Dougall was later one of 11 RCAF prisoners who were part of an early Exchange/ Repatriation of sick and injured Allied and German PoWs that took place in October 1943

Unvetted Source Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

Unvetted Source Spitfire pilots and aircraft database - Pilot Officer Donald DOUGALL RCAF

Unvetted Source France-Crashes 39-45 Search

Unvetted Source Don Dougall