Flight Lieutenant Arthur Gerald Donahue DFC was born on 29 January 1913 in St Charles, Winona County, Minnesota, USA, the youngest of the five children of Frank Donahue (1873-1963) and Ada Gertrude Donahue née Brandt (1877-1963).
His Wikipedia page, the American Air Museum in Britain website and the Aircrew Remembered website all give details of his life which show that he went to Canada and joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 81624, as a Pilot Officer and came to England in July 1940, initially serving in No.64 Squadron during the Battle of Britain before transferring to No.71 (Eagle) Squadron.
As a Flying Officer in No.258 Squadron, serving in the Far East, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 27 March 1942. Promoted to Flight Lieutenant he was killed, aged 29 years, on 11 September 1942 whilst flying his Supermarine Spitfire Mark Vb aeroplane, serial number BL511, of No.91 Squadron, off Gravelines, France.
As he has no known grave he is commemorated on Panel 65 of the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial, Cooper's Hill Lane, Englefield Green, Egham, TW20 0LB. He is also commemorated on the Battle of Britain Monument, Victoria Embankment, London, on The Battle of Britain Memorial, New Dover Road, Capel-le-Ferne, Folkestone, CT18 7JJ and in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
