Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: attributed to Flying Officer E. H. Donne, Royal Air Force, who was killed in action as a Typhoon pilot in 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron over Lingen in April 1945

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals, all privately engraved, ‘F./O. E. H. Donne, 266 Rhod. Sqdn., R.A.F.’, with related but later Rhodesian Government condolence slip, extremely fine (4) £150-200

Ex A. A. Upfill-Brown collection.

Edward Henry Donne, who was born in Wimbledon, London in August 1923 and educated at Prince Edward School, Salisbury, Rhodesia, was attested as an A.C. 2, pilot under training, in the Royal Air Force in January 1942. Trained in Rhodesia, he was embarked for the U.K. in March 1943 and joined No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron, a Typhoon unit, as a Sergeant Pilot, in January of the following year. Compelled to take to his parachute five miles north-west of Caen on D-Day, he reported back to his unit 48 hours later. Subsequently commissioned, Donne remained actively employed on sorties with No. 266 until his death in action on 1 April 1944, when his Typhoon was downed by flak in the Lingen area during armed reconnaissance - the wreckage of his aircraft was later found at Lonneker, Holland and his remains interred in the local cemetery. His mother was sent his campaign medals in August 1949; sold with a file of related research, including a photocopied photograph of 266 Squadron personnel, including Donne.