Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum logo

Hunter, Donald (Sergeant)

Prisoner of War 1944-July-29

Male Head

Birth Date: 1922-June-09 (age 22)

Home: Blackpool, England UK

Enlistment Date: 1941-06-08

Service
RAF
Unit
550 (B) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Per Ignem Vincimus Through fire we conquer
Base
RAF North Killingholme
Rank
Sergeant
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Service Numbers
1479638
PoW: 518

Lancaster Mk.III NE164

Bombing Stuttgart Germany 1944-July-28 to 1944-July-29

550 (B) Sqn (RAF) RAF Stn North Killingholme
Memorial Stone to those executed from Lancaster NE164

Shot Down By A Night Fighter At Ottrott 2 Miles West of Obernai Returning From A Raid on Stuttgart, 4 of the Crew Survived, 1 of Whom Evaded

Pilot Officer Harry Jones died in the crash and Sergeant Idwal Williams (both RAF) died as a result of his parachute jump.

The others landed safely and had to consider their chances of evading capture. Sergeant Don Hunter, Sergeant James Drury and Sergeant Roy Barton (all RAF) were captured quickly and taken in charge of the Feld Gendarmerie and the Luftwaffe. Flight Sergeant Fred Habgood was captured in Niederhaslach which is approximately10 kilometres NNW of the crash site Oliver Clutton-Brock, Footprints ..., however other sources say that he was helped by people of Ottrott who were then denounced and taken to the nearby concentration camp at Natzweiler-Stuthof. Sergeant Fred Habgood was hung at Natzweiler-Stuthof and his body was never found. In a trial held at Wuppertal in 1946, five men were found guilty of the crime, two of whom were executed on the 11th of October.

Habgood's identification bracelet was found in 2018 near the concentration camp site. See the story on Habgood's page.

Museum Habgood Bracelet

Operations Record Book 550 Sqn Monthly ORB

Operations Record Book 550 Sqn Daily ORB

General Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

General Search for France-Crashes 39-45

General 28/29.07.1944 550 Squadron Lancaster III NE 164 Fg Off Harry Jones RAF...

Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock, page 324

Home
Google MapBlackpool, England UK
Target
Google MapStuttgart Germany

Lancaster NE164

Avro Lancaster

Avro Lancaster Mk. X RCAF Serial FM 213
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era.

The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use". Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. Wikipedia

YouTube Lancaster Bomber

Wkikpedia Wikipedia

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

last update: 2021-09-18 14:32:33

Lancaster Mk.III NE164

BQRAF RoundelO
Shot down in France prior to arrival at target Stuttgart

© Canadian Warplane Heritage 2024

To search on any page:
PC — Ctrl-F
Mac — ⌘-F
Mobile — or …