Enlistment # R-99722
Warrant Officer Class 2
Donald Andrew Thomson was born on August 8, 1920, in Strathroy, Ontario to Harold Buttery Thomson and Edna Ethel Shaw Thomson. He had two younger sisters, Lillian Elizabeth, known as Betty, and Dorothy Maxine, known as Maxine. When Donald was born, the family lived on Caradoc Street, but they later moved to Metcalfe Street. His father Harold worked as a clerk for the Canadian National Railway. Donald, called “Don” by his family and friends, had brown hair and blue eyes. He attended Colborne Street School and Strathroy Collegiate Institute. As a member of the boy scouts and an assistant scout leader, Donald acquired the nickname “Tuffy Thomson”.
He enjoyed all sports and liked to listen to the radio for the latest hockey scores. Donald played baseball and hockey. He also liked to ski. During high school, he worked at Muxlow Brothers garage in Strathroy, located at Caradoc and Metcalfe streets, across from Denning Brothers Funeral Home. Later, he worked for his grandfather, D.P. Shaw, a carpenter in Brigden, Ontario. Donald was not married.
In 1941, Donald enlisted in London, Ontario with the R.C.A.F., and he trained at Manning Pool in Toronto. He was a warrant officer, 2nd class, wireless operator air gunner in Squadron #14. While overseas, he wrote home regularly.
He was killed in action on December 28, 1943, when his Marauder aircraft #FK 133 went missing between Marseilles, France and Genoa, Italy. The other members of his crew were also killed: Flying Officer Richard W. Gilkey, Warrant Officer Charles Z. Toupin, Pilot Officer Robert A. Billings, Sergeant H.E. Bryce Jeffen(R.A.F.), and Flight Sergeant A.B. Tuttle(R.A.F.). Donald was 23 years old when he died. Although he has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Alamein War Memorial in Egypt.
There is a memorial marker in the Strathroy Cemetery. It is located at C.18.25, section C, row 18, grave 25 in the row. Its GPS coordinates are lat: 42º56.800’N / long: -81º199’W.
