Gage, Donald Irwin
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Donald Irwin |
Surname | Gage |
Gender | M |
Age | 24 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 12-05-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Ernest Carlton Gage and Minnie Gage (née Blessum), of Vancouver, British Columbia. On 14 June 1941 Donald married Blanche Lorraine Lauder and they had a daughter, Vicky Lynn on 9 December 1942 at Calgary. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | ND919 |
Markings | AA-D |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Aardenburg General Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Coll. grave 1-7. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 167 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/19996 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 75 (NZ) |
Trade | Air Bomber |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | A142 Mepal, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brick Piller and Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | Former site of RAF Mepal. Home to No 75 (New Zealand) Sqn, No 3 Gp, Bomber Command, 1943-1945 |
Location | Village Centre, Mepal, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial & Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | A stone memorial, donated by former members of 75 (NZ) Sqn RAF stationed at Mepal between 1943 and 1945 |
Location | St. Andrews Church, Sutton, Cambridgeshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Roll of Honour in Wooden Case with brass plaque |
Memorial Text | Roll of Honour. Plaque, Presented by 75(NZ) Sqn Association - UK Branch in memory of Comrades named in the Roll of Honour |
Location | St. Marys Church, Feltwell, Norfolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brick Piller and Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | A memorial to 75 (NZ) Sqn, RAF. Formed at RAF Feltwell in April 1940 and flew from there until June 1942. The Sqn number was presented to New Zealand becoming 75 Sqn RNZAF in October 1946 until its disbanding in December 2001. |
Location | Newmarket Racecourse, Newmarket, Suffolk |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | Remembering No 75 (New Zealand) Sqn, No 3 Gp Bomber Command. RAF Newmarket Heath, November 1942 - June 1943 |
Miscellaneous Information
Donald was born on 20 January 1920 at Bow Island, Alberta. His father was a chicken rancher and both parents were born in USA. They lived in Wales Road, Vancouver. Donald was one of six children and had two sisters, Audrey Frances and Fern Isabelle, also three brothers , Earl Baron, Ray Ernest and Harold Arthur. Earl was in the R.C.E overseas. He attended Haycroft School, Bow Island 1926-1928, then Bow Island 1928-1932 (General Course), Mitchell School, Lulu Island 1932-1934 and Richmond High 1934-1938 where he completed Grade 12 (Senior Matric). Donald also took a night school course on Poultry Husbandry at the University of B.C. Between 1938-1941 Donald worked on his father’s chicken ranch and then left to become a truck driver and labourer at Bucker Field’s Ltd, Feed Company in Vancouver. During 1941-1942 Donald was a Sapper in the 4th Fortress Co. R.C.E.C.A. The sports he enjoyed were football, swimming, baseball, skiing and skating. |
Donald enlisted on 1 June 1942 and after initial training embarked for the U.K. on 8 April 1943. After 3 PRC 18 April 1943, he was at 2 (0) AFU 15 June, 1651 CU 30 September 1943 and finaly 75 Squadron on 5 November 1943. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/647/10 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/647/9 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 11-05-1944 |
End Date | 12-05-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Mepal |
Day/Night Raid | Night (85% moon) |
Operation | Leuven/ Louvain- to bomb railway yards. 110 aircraft, 4 Lancasters Lost Most of the bombing hit the railway workshops and storage buildings rather than the yards |
Reason for Loss | Exploded in mid-air and crashed at Castle Elderschans, NW of Aardenburg, Holland |