LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWII
Flying Officer Donald Leslie Stevenson RAFVR
106 Squadron Royal Air Force
Town Memorial World War II
FLYING OFFICER
DONALD LESLIE STEVENSON
Service Number: 131126
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
106 Sqdn.
Died 15 June 1943
Buried or commemorated at
REICHSWALD FOREST WAR CEMETERY
5. H. 2.
Germany
RAF Bomber Command Losses in the Second World War: WR Chorley: 1943
14-15 June 1943
106 Sqn Lancaster III ED649 ZN-X Op: Oberhausen
took off 2240 RAF Syerston. All were
buried on 16 June in the Nordfriedhof at Düsseldorf, since when their
remains were taken to the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. At 40,
F/O Oates was amongst the oldest bomber pilots killed on operations
during 1943. By way of contrast, his navigator, P/O Parr, was 19.
Pilot F/O HD Oates
Flight Engineer Sgt J Hindley
Navigator P/O RH Parr
Flight Engineer Sgt J Hindley
Navigator P/O RH Parr
Bomb Aimer P/O DL Stevenson
Wireless Operator Sgt RA Martin
Mid-Upper Gunner Sgt RE Bell
Mid-Upper Gunner Sgt RE Bell
Rear Gunner Sgt JV Sweeney RCAF
On the Aircrew Remembered website there is a post which may identify the cause of the loss of this aircraft:
15 June 1943: Bf 110 G-4 "G9 + FN" (W.Nr.
5450) of 5./NJG 1 flown by Oberfeldwebel Fritz Schellwat (F) and
Oberfeldwebel Lüdecke (Bf), both wounded, crashed due to enemy fire west
of Heinsberg, 100%. He did record his 13th victory that night at 1:32
against a Lancaster over Düsseldorf-Storkheim which was either Lancaster
III (ED396) of 103 Sqn, RAF flown by Sgt G Whitehead, all killed or Lancaster
III (ED649) "ZN-X" of 106 Sqn, RAF flown by F/O HD Oates, all killed so
perhaps the crash was due to return fire from one of these aircraft.
(Forum Post)
The Bomber Command War Diaries: An Operational Reference Book: 1939-1945: Middlebrook and Everitt
14/15 June 1943
OBERHAUSEN
197 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitoes: 17
Lancasters lost, 8.4% of the force.
This target was cloud-covered but once
again the Oboe sky-marking was accurate. The report from
Oberhausen says that the Germans noted the markers right over the
top of the Altstadt. 267 buildings were destroyed and 584
seriously damaged. 85 people were killed and 258 were injured.
So far no press reports of Donald Stevenson's death have been found.
His life
Donald Leslie Stevenson was born on 11 September 1921 at Crowthorne, Reddown Road, Coulsdon, Surrey and so was aged 21 when he died on 15 June 1943.His father was Archibald Frank Stevenson. He died on 7 May 1941 in Leatherhead Emergency Hospital (Royal Blind School), Surrey. His death was "due to war operations" as his Death Certificate describes his fatal wounding during the bombing of his home at White Wicket, Ermyn Way, Leatherhead which took place on 19 March 1941. It is not known if Donald's mother Isabel was injured.
For more on his father please go to Archibald Frank Stevenson's page.
His mother was Isabel Marvin born 21 July 1893 at Windsor, Berkshire the daughter of Henry Ward Marvin (1850–1929), a Manager, and Ella Durrant (1854–1932). Her death on 26 September 1960 was registered in the Surrey Mid Eastern District.
They were married on 3 July 1917 at St John's, Coulsdon, Surrey by the Rev James, Vicar of St Annes, Brighton. She was later known by the name Isabel Marvin Stevenson.
Donald had a sister, Pamela Marjorie Wildman Stevenson (22 Oct 1918–29 June 1987) who married Officer-Cadet Richard Hugh Reeves (1916–1998) of Leatherhead, at Leatherhead Parish Church on 23 Mar 1940. After the war they lived at Little Rising, Ermyn Way, built on the site of White Wicket.
In the 1939 England & Wales Register his parents were living at White Wicket, Ermyn Way, Leatherhead.
Donald was educated at St John’s School, Leatherhead where he was in South House from September 1934 to July 1940. He was awarded an Entrance Scholarship to the school to the value of £45.
He achieved his School Certificate in July 1937. He was appointed as a House Prefect in January 1938 and was a member of the Cricket XI in 1938, 1939, and 1940 being their Captain in 1940. He was a member of the 2nd Rugby XV in 1938, 1939 and 1940. He was a member of the South House team which won the Games Shield in 1940.
He served as a Sergeant in the Officer Training Corps. In the Oxford and Cambridge Joint Board, July Examination 1938, he gained his Higher Certificate (Certificate A) with distinction in Modern History. He was a member of the Historical Society, the Shakespeare Society, the Debating Society, the Music Society and the Literary Society. He was President of the Gourmand Club and was an Editor of the Johnian in 1939 and 1940. He was appointed School Captain in September 1939. [with thanks to St John's School, Leatherhead, for his school career]
He was part of the Commonwealth Training Scheme which took fledgling aircrew to Commonwealth countries for flying or navigational training, in his case to Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa where he was attached to No 6 Training Squadron RAF. He was promoted to Flying Officer.
During his lifetime where Donald's parents lived can be tracked via the Electoral Registers:
1925-1934 4 The Avenue Coulsdon, Surrey
1935-1941 White Wicket, Ermyn Way, Leatherhead
1935-1941 White Wicket, Ermyn Way, Leatherhead
After the war
His mother lived at Holmbury, Garlands Road, Leatherhead until her death in 1960. She is buried in Leatherhead Parish Churchyard with her husband:
456 STEVENSON Archibald Frank b1882 d1941
59
456 STEVENSON Isabel Marvin b1896 d1960 64
456 STEVENSON Isabel Marvin b1896 d1960 64
Donald Stevenson is remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
St Johns School, Leatherhead - WW2
Sidney Sussex College Cambridge - Act of Remembrance
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, his headstone, and any recollections of him
last updated 28 Jul 20: 2 Dec 20