Neilson, Donald Fullerton

Date of birth:: May 17th, 1917 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
Date of death:: June 17th, 1944 (Achterberg/Utrecht, the Netherlands)
Mentioned on:: Air Forces Memorial Runnymede
Service number:: J/24170
Nationality:: Canadian

Biography

Donald was born on May 17 1917 in Buenos Aires Argentina, the son of Neil Hingle Neilson and Ellen Maud Neilson nee Edwards (both British) of Buenos Aires. They were married in 1900 in Liverpool England.

He was a rancher and member of the Church of England. He spoke English, fluently Spanish and sparsely French and his sports were polo, rugby, swimming, soccer and tennis.

He enlisted on January 27 1942 in Calgary and he went thereafter on April 18 1943 overseas to the UK.

Donald was killed in action on Saturday June 17 1944 age 27 due to a crash near the village of Achterberg municipality of Rhenen before or after an attack on Sterkrade near Oberhausen in Germany. His other fallen RCAF crew member F/O Harold B. Brett age 27 was buried then at the Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) Cemetery in Plot 13 Row 9 Joint grave 190 and the other fallen RNZAF crew member Fl/Lt Alexander D. McConnell (DFC) age 25 was buried at this cemetery too in grave 13-1-1 as well as the other fallen RAF Volunteer Reserve crew member Sgt Ernest W. Webb in Plot 13-9-Joint grave 190.
The other RCAF crew member P/O John K. Murray age 26 was missed then too and he is therefore at the Runnymede Memorial in England too at panel 252 and the other RAF Volunteer Reserve crew members were also missed then and they are at this Memorial too: Sgt Joseph E. Legg age 24 at panel 233 and Sgt Arthur T. Paget age 21 at panel 235 as well as the missed RAF crew member Sgt James M. McKay age 26 at panel 233.

Er is a monument in Rhenen for all the fallen crew members.

He served with the 550 Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.

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