Robson, Donald Matthews

Date of birth:: September 2nd, 1923 (New Westminster/British Columbia, Canada)
Date of death:: May 25th, 1944 (Tilburg/North Brabant, The Netherlands)
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Graves General Cemetery Gilzerbaan
Plot: B. Row: 2. Grave: 47.
Service number:: J/86588
Nationality:: Canadian (1931-present, Constitutional Monarchy)

Biography

Donald was born on September 12 1923 in New Westminster, British Columbia, the son of Leonard Mathews Robson and Anna Jennie Robson nee Anderson (American) of New Westminster.

His brothers were Gordon L. Robson and Charles G. Robson (also with the RCAF overseas) and his sister was Mrs. Minerva Robson.

He was a student and member of the United Church. He spoke English and slightly French and Latin.

His hobby was building airplane models and his sports were swimming, diving, lacrosse, basketball and softball.

He served as a Cadet from September 1940 till May 1941 with the C.O.T.C in Vancouver. He enlisted on September 12 1941 then the RCAF in Vancouver and he went thereafter on June 30 1943 from New York USA overseas to the UK.

Donald was killed in action on Thursday May 25 1944 age 20 due to a crash behind the Kromstraat 2 in Tilburg before or after an attack on Aachen in Germany.

The other fallen RCAF crew members were F/O Gordon R. Lauder age 28 in grave B-2-50 and P/O Philip S. Smith age 23 in grave B-2-49. The other RCAF crew member P/O William D. Lillico was deceased on May 26 1944 age 23 due to serious wounds in a hospital in Tilburg and he was temporarily buried there and he was later reburied at the Bergen op Zoom Canadian War Cemetery in grave 5-H-1.
The other fallen RAF Volunteer Reserve crew members were Sgt John Hoarty age 22 in grave B-2-49, Sgt Thomas J.H. Smith age 20 in grave B-2-48 and Sgt Bernard R. Morgan age 19 in grave B-2-51.

On his headstone: IN LOVING MEMORY

He served with the 419 Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.