JD108 | EY-U | 78 Squadron
The Crew of : JD108
Pilot: W/O Kenneth Alan Toon (CWGC Page) RNZAF KIA Aged 21
Sgt D.W.G.Cowell Evd
Sgt L.G.Donaldson Evd
Sgt R.Falcus Evd
P/O H.J.Burridge (CWGC Page) Bomber Aimer KIA
P/O J.McDonald PoW
Sgt G.M.Campbell PoW
JD108 was airborne at 23.49 13 Jul 1943 from Breighton.
Shot down from 13,000 feet by a night-fighter (Oblt Rudolf Altendorf, 11./NJG1), at 02.36, 45 mins after leaving the target. Crashed near Froid-Chapelle (Hainaut), 11 km SE of Beaumont, Belgium.
Those killed are buried in Gosselies Communal Cemetery.
F/L Nesbitt was the Squadron's Gunnery Leader.
P/O McDonald was captured in France trying to evade.
Sgt G.M.Campbell was interned in Camps L6/L1. PoW No.380.
P/O J.McDonald initially evaded until captured in Perpignan 30th Sep 1943 and interned in Camps L3/13D/7A, PoW No.2626.
Taken from the web else where: P/O James MacDonald was simply unfortunate. Three crew were killed and one taken POW but he, Sgt Denis W G Cowell, Sgt L G Donaldson and Sgt R Falcus baled out and evaded - Donaldson with Comete. P/O MacDonald was found by Dr Leonard of St Quentin. Dromas collected him and brought him back to Chauny where he was placed with M Felix. On 7 September 'Georges' took him to Paris but whilst staying at a safe house, a neighbour spotted him and, thinking him to be a thief, called the police.
