Sotonian's D.S.O. won over Germany
Title
Sotonian's D.S.O. won over Germany
Description
Account of David Donaldson's Distinguished Service Order, biographic and family details.
Creator
Date
1943-11-26
Temporal Coverage
Coverage
Language
Format
One newspaper page
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
NGrundyAF150610-04
Transcription
[underlined] SOUTHERN DAILY ECHO [/underlined]
[underlined] FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1943. [/underlined]
[advertisements]
SOUTHERN
Daily Echo
SOUTHAMPTON, NOV. 26, 1943
NAZI BID FOR POLITICAL WIN
AN interesting reflection of the British official view on the present aspect of the war was given in London, yesterday, by Mr. Brendan Bracken, Minister of Information, when he spoke at an American Thanksgiving Day luncheon.
In an analysis of the present trends of Nazi policy, Mr. Bracken declared that Hitler’s latest plan to escape the disaster which threatens the Reich is to split the United Nations by creating causes of disunity, and to negotiate separate peace treaties. “Hitler and Goebbels and their tribe have made their plans to meet the prospects of a military defeat,” he said. “They wish to wrest from military defeat a political victory which will enable Germany to escape the consequences of losing this terrible war on mankind.”
This view comes as near to the realities of to-day’s war picture as any recently expressed by authoritative spokesmen. It certainly aligns with views which have already been expressed in this column. In an editorial two months ago we pointed out the soundness of the assumption that a nation which had prepared for a great war as thoroughly as did Germany could be relied upon to prepare just as thoroughly to meet the prospects of defeat and to wriggle out of that disastrous situation on the best possible terms.
Watch that Wedge
FROM this assumption it was further argued that it was equally logical to assume that, with no other prospect but that of complete defeat before them, the Germans might try to manoeuvre peace while they are still a militarily strong nation. This seems to be a fair picture of the actual prospect facing Germany to-day, and we shall not have to wait long to discover whether German high political and military policy is actually based on this formula. Signs are clearly evident, at all events, that before long new political developments of the greatest import are likely to occur.
Ever-present in the background of this war is the absolute necessity of preventing any further German attempt to dominate the world. As Mr. Bracken pointed out yesterday, Nazi successes in the negotiation of separate peace treaties would provide Germany with an opportunity once more to build up an even bigger war machine.
Hitler’s only remaining hope of escaping the consequences of his crimes against humanity is to drive a wedge between the United Nations. Fortunately, the peoples of all those nations are fully aware of the danger. There is no fear that they will fall into the trap.
PLEA FROM THE PRAMS
IT is to be hoped that, between them, the Ministry of Food and the Ministry of Health will be able to do something to relieve the present shortage of baby foods in Southampton. Official representations in regard to this matter have been going on too long Southampton parents want action – and they expect it quickly.
There is clear evidence that the shortage of essential baby foods in Southampton has become acute. The Ministries concerned must make up their minds whether the present situation is due to an actual shortage of the foods themselves or to difficulties in [missing words]
Sotonian’s D.S.O. Won Over Germany
WING COMMANDER DAVID W. DONALDSON, D.F.C., R.A.F., who attended an investiture at Buckingham Palace this week to receive the D.S.O. awarded him last May, is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Thornycroft Donaldson, of Pear Tree-avenue, Bitterne, Southampton.
Their eldest son, Ian, is a Flying Officer in the R.A.F., and their youngest son, Norman, is a lieutenant in the Intelligence Corps.
Wing Commander Donaldson was awarded the D.F.C. in February, 1941. Since then he
[photograph]
Photo: Vandyk.
WING COMMANDER D.W. DONALDSON, D.S.O., D.F.C.
has completed numerous operational sorties against heavily-defended targets in Germany and Italy.
“He has provided an outstanding example of determination and devotion to duty (stated the official citation), pressing home his attacks in the face of anti-aircraft and fighter opposition with exceptional energy and enthusiasm.
“As a pilot he displays powers of leadership and airmanship which are an example to the rest of the squadron.”
Wing Commander Donaldson’s wife and mother attended the investiture with him.
Christmas Toys
THE news of the release of toys for Christmas has given great pleasure, not only to the children, but also to the manufacturers and their agents.
Said a Winchester dealer to-day “We have got plenty of stuff in stock, and for once the Government has acted wisely in giving us a fair chance of making the distribution in ample time for Christmas shopping.”
Once before the restrictions were eased only two or three days before the holiday festival, with the result that many shopkeepers and shoppers did not get a fair chance in the scramble.
It is hoped that this time there will be ample opportunity for a fair distribution of the things that gladden the hearts of children though parents and kind-hearted uncles will still find the prices at a high level.
In Switzerland
PAYMASTER CAPT. PORTER, R.N., and Mrs. Porter, of “Maryland.” Brockenhurst, have received official intimation that their son, Major G.D. Porter, Middlesex Regiment, who escaped from the Italian prisoner of war camp PG29, has reached Switzerland safely and has been interned.
Major Porter, who was captured in North Africa, made his escape when Italy capitulated. He is one of four brothers, one of whom is fighting in Italy with the Eighth Army.
County Library
COMPLAINT has been made more than once at Hampshire County Council meetings that the general body of ratepayers have not the foggiest notion what the county library is or what it does.
In the not distant future the Council is to have a report on the library, but some light was shed on what the library does when the Education Committee chairman (Sir Samuel Gurney-Dixon) told the Council that the stock of books is 160,000, that 200,000 would still be too few to meet demands, that shortage of storage space was preventing the library expanding now, that there are 10 branch libraries and 350 distributing centres for books, scattered about the county.
He made this categorical statement: “Through the medium of the library, a copy of any book can be obtained by any ratepayer in Hampshire.”
All one has to do is to apply for a book and, if it is not in stock, the county library can draw upon the resources of regional libraries and the great national collections.
77: Knits for P.O.W.
IN her 77th year Mrs. C. Payne is one of the keenest supporters of the British Red Cross Prisoners-of-War Fund.
She is an inmate of Hollybrook Rest Centre sick bay and crochets tiny dolls, golliwogs and thimbles, etc., and sells them in aid of the fund. To date she has raised £12 by her work.
Hollybrook Rest Centre is for the bombed-out and is maintained
[inserted] TOPICS of the HOUR [/inserted]
by the Public Assistance Committee, to whom the building belongs. It is staffed and equipped by the Red Cross Society.
County Police Strength
THE Home Office have intimated that the strength of the Hampshire joint police force must be reduced to 945 by the end of the year
The authorised wartime strength of the force was originally 1,411, and the present actual strength is 1,022.
When the strength has been reduced to the number prescribed by the Home Secretary it is not anticipated that there will be any material change in the numbers of the senior ranks, but that the reduction will be in the number of constables.
The total pre-war authorised strength of the Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Winchester police forces was 774.
Builds E.N.S.A.’s “Sets”
SERGEANT-MAJOR TOM HUDSON, who, it was reported in the “Echo” recently, is now in charge of an ENSA Middle East Works department, where he builds all ENSA’s stage sets, is the third son of Mr. and Mrs. F.H. Hudson, 74, Burgess-road, Southampton, and before he joined the R.A.S.C. was in business as a sign-writer in the town.
Always very keen on painting and stage work he was at one time a student at the School of Art, and made stage sets which his wife, then Miss Winifred
[photograph]
SERGT.-MAJOR T. HUDSON
Viney, used for dancing classes. His home and his studio-workshop were both wrecked by air raids.
He has been abroad about two years and a half. He has 20 Egyptian carpenters working under his direction in his department and can turn out anything from a full-size stage to a first-aid box.
90th Birthday in Canada
MRS. G.W. GILES, who, with her husband left Pear Tree Green for Canada 40 years ago, recently celebrated her 90th birthday at Hillside Farm, Ministik Lake District, where she is living with her daughter, Mrs. Claude Leach.
A Canadian paper describes Mrs. Giles as an “old-timer of Alberta, coming to Edmonton in the days when tents and make-shift log dwellings were the only homes.”
Among many relatives and friends at the birthday party were Mrs. Giles’ son, Percy, and Mrs. Giles, of Edmonton, and Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Giles, of Vancouver. A large cake with 90 candles graced the table. A cable of congratulation was received by Mrs. Giles from Mr. and Mrs. Tom Giles, son and daughter-in-law, of Southampton.
“Life Boat” Record
“ANOTHER magnificent record of voluntary achievement” is the congratulatory comment of the headquarters of the Royal National Life-boat Institution to the Southampton branch on their past year’s work.
The receipts for the year, £1,165 13s. 2d., were £123 3s. 4d. more than those for the previous year, and except for 1924, the centenary year of the institution, were the highest amount ever raised in a year by the branch.
The amount remitted to headquarters was £1,150, which was £150 more than in the previous year.
The Ladies’ Lifeboat Guild, in addition to helping in the record flag day collection (£966), raised £35 8s. 5d. by collections, a whist drive and a competition.
In his letter of thanks to the branch the secretary of the institution wrote: “The devotion of our honorary workers and the response of the public year after year are now almost as traditional as is the bravery of our crews. We never cease to wonder at and admire this widespread constancy of thought and action in support of our great and humane undertaking. It is such generosity that has helped us to build up the finest life-boat service in the world.’
[advertisements and articles]
Winchester Man in Iraq
Flight-Lieutenant Peter Edge, of the Royal Air Force Dental Branch, late of the 1st Winchester Troop of Scouts, is taking full advantage of his early training by being prepared for anything in Iraq.
At present he is employed in visiting isolated units in the Persia and Iraq command. His trips take him across hundreds of miles of sand, along dusty desert tracks marked out (if he is lucky) by old petrol tins
Summer temperatures rarely drop below the 120 mark, and in winter it is bitterly cold. It is a constant source of wonderment to the British soldier that the natives have managed to survive at all!
The Flight-Lieutenant’s father and mother live in Cromwell-road, Winchester.
[incomplete article]
[underlined] FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1943. [/underlined]
[advertisements]
SOUTHERN
Daily Echo
SOUTHAMPTON, NOV. 26, 1943
NAZI BID FOR POLITICAL WIN
AN interesting reflection of the British official view on the present aspect of the war was given in London, yesterday, by Mr. Brendan Bracken, Minister of Information, when he spoke at an American Thanksgiving Day luncheon.
In an analysis of the present trends of Nazi policy, Mr. Bracken declared that Hitler’s latest plan to escape the disaster which threatens the Reich is to split the United Nations by creating causes of disunity, and to negotiate separate peace treaties. “Hitler and Goebbels and their tribe have made their plans to meet the prospects of a military defeat,” he said. “They wish to wrest from military defeat a political victory which will enable Germany to escape the consequences of losing this terrible war on mankind.”
This view comes as near to the realities of to-day’s war picture as any recently expressed by authoritative spokesmen. It certainly aligns with views which have already been expressed in this column. In an editorial two months ago we pointed out the soundness of the assumption that a nation which had prepared for a great war as thoroughly as did Germany could be relied upon to prepare just as thoroughly to meet the prospects of defeat and to wriggle out of that disastrous situation on the best possible terms.
Watch that Wedge
FROM this assumption it was further argued that it was equally logical to assume that, with no other prospect but that of complete defeat before them, the Germans might try to manoeuvre peace while they are still a militarily strong nation. This seems to be a fair picture of the actual prospect facing Germany to-day, and we shall not have to wait long to discover whether German high political and military policy is actually based on this formula. Signs are clearly evident, at all events, that before long new political developments of the greatest import are likely to occur.
Ever-present in the background of this war is the absolute necessity of preventing any further German attempt to dominate the world. As Mr. Bracken pointed out yesterday, Nazi successes in the negotiation of separate peace treaties would provide Germany with an opportunity once more to build up an even bigger war machine.
Hitler’s only remaining hope of escaping the consequences of his crimes against humanity is to drive a wedge between the United Nations. Fortunately, the peoples of all those nations are fully aware of the danger. There is no fear that they will fall into the trap.
PLEA FROM THE PRAMS
IT is to be hoped that, between them, the Ministry of Food and the Ministry of Health will be able to do something to relieve the present shortage of baby foods in Southampton. Official representations in regard to this matter have been going on too long Southampton parents want action – and they expect it quickly.
There is clear evidence that the shortage of essential baby foods in Southampton has become acute. The Ministries concerned must make up their minds whether the present situation is due to an actual shortage of the foods themselves or to difficulties in [missing words]
Sotonian’s D.S.O. Won Over Germany
WING COMMANDER DAVID W. DONALDSON, D.F.C., R.A.F., who attended an investiture at Buckingham Palace this week to receive the D.S.O. awarded him last May, is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Thornycroft Donaldson, of Pear Tree-avenue, Bitterne, Southampton.
Their eldest son, Ian, is a Flying Officer in the R.A.F., and their youngest son, Norman, is a lieutenant in the Intelligence Corps.
Wing Commander Donaldson was awarded the D.F.C. in February, 1941. Since then he
[photograph]
Photo: Vandyk.
WING COMMANDER D.W. DONALDSON, D.S.O., D.F.C.
has completed numerous operational sorties against heavily-defended targets in Germany and Italy.
“He has provided an outstanding example of determination and devotion to duty (stated the official citation), pressing home his attacks in the face of anti-aircraft and fighter opposition with exceptional energy and enthusiasm.
“As a pilot he displays powers of leadership and airmanship which are an example to the rest of the squadron.”
Wing Commander Donaldson’s wife and mother attended the investiture with him.
Christmas Toys
THE news of the release of toys for Christmas has given great pleasure, not only to the children, but also to the manufacturers and their agents.
Said a Winchester dealer to-day “We have got plenty of stuff in stock, and for once the Government has acted wisely in giving us a fair chance of making the distribution in ample time for Christmas shopping.”
Once before the restrictions were eased only two or three days before the holiday festival, with the result that many shopkeepers and shoppers did not get a fair chance in the scramble.
It is hoped that this time there will be ample opportunity for a fair distribution of the things that gladden the hearts of children though parents and kind-hearted uncles will still find the prices at a high level.
In Switzerland
PAYMASTER CAPT. PORTER, R.N., and Mrs. Porter, of “Maryland.” Brockenhurst, have received official intimation that their son, Major G.D. Porter, Middlesex Regiment, who escaped from the Italian prisoner of war camp PG29, has reached Switzerland safely and has been interned.
Major Porter, who was captured in North Africa, made his escape when Italy capitulated. He is one of four brothers, one of whom is fighting in Italy with the Eighth Army.
County Library
COMPLAINT has been made more than once at Hampshire County Council meetings that the general body of ratepayers have not the foggiest notion what the county library is or what it does.
In the not distant future the Council is to have a report on the library, but some light was shed on what the library does when the Education Committee chairman (Sir Samuel Gurney-Dixon) told the Council that the stock of books is 160,000, that 200,000 would still be too few to meet demands, that shortage of storage space was preventing the library expanding now, that there are 10 branch libraries and 350 distributing centres for books, scattered about the county.
He made this categorical statement: “Through the medium of the library, a copy of any book can be obtained by any ratepayer in Hampshire.”
All one has to do is to apply for a book and, if it is not in stock, the county library can draw upon the resources of regional libraries and the great national collections.
77: Knits for P.O.W.
IN her 77th year Mrs. C. Payne is one of the keenest supporters of the British Red Cross Prisoners-of-War Fund.
She is an inmate of Hollybrook Rest Centre sick bay and crochets tiny dolls, golliwogs and thimbles, etc., and sells them in aid of the fund. To date she has raised £12 by her work.
Hollybrook Rest Centre is for the bombed-out and is maintained
[inserted] TOPICS of the HOUR [/inserted]
by the Public Assistance Committee, to whom the building belongs. It is staffed and equipped by the Red Cross Society.
County Police Strength
THE Home Office have intimated that the strength of the Hampshire joint police force must be reduced to 945 by the end of the year
The authorised wartime strength of the force was originally 1,411, and the present actual strength is 1,022.
When the strength has been reduced to the number prescribed by the Home Secretary it is not anticipated that there will be any material change in the numbers of the senior ranks, but that the reduction will be in the number of constables.
The total pre-war authorised strength of the Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Winchester police forces was 774.
Builds E.N.S.A.’s “Sets”
SERGEANT-MAJOR TOM HUDSON, who, it was reported in the “Echo” recently, is now in charge of an ENSA Middle East Works department, where he builds all ENSA’s stage sets, is the third son of Mr. and Mrs. F.H. Hudson, 74, Burgess-road, Southampton, and before he joined the R.A.S.C. was in business as a sign-writer in the town.
Always very keen on painting and stage work he was at one time a student at the School of Art, and made stage sets which his wife, then Miss Winifred
[photograph]
SERGT.-MAJOR T. HUDSON
Viney, used for dancing classes. His home and his studio-workshop were both wrecked by air raids.
He has been abroad about two years and a half. He has 20 Egyptian carpenters working under his direction in his department and can turn out anything from a full-size stage to a first-aid box.
90th Birthday in Canada
MRS. G.W. GILES, who, with her husband left Pear Tree Green for Canada 40 years ago, recently celebrated her 90th birthday at Hillside Farm, Ministik Lake District, where she is living with her daughter, Mrs. Claude Leach.
A Canadian paper describes Mrs. Giles as an “old-timer of Alberta, coming to Edmonton in the days when tents and make-shift log dwellings were the only homes.”
Among many relatives and friends at the birthday party were Mrs. Giles’ son, Percy, and Mrs. Giles, of Edmonton, and Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Giles, of Vancouver. A large cake with 90 candles graced the table. A cable of congratulation was received by Mrs. Giles from Mr. and Mrs. Tom Giles, son and daughter-in-law, of Southampton.
“Life Boat” Record
“ANOTHER magnificent record of voluntary achievement” is the congratulatory comment of the headquarters of the Royal National Life-boat Institution to the Southampton branch on their past year’s work.
The receipts for the year, £1,165 13s. 2d., were £123 3s. 4d. more than those for the previous year, and except for 1924, the centenary year of the institution, were the highest amount ever raised in a year by the branch.
The amount remitted to headquarters was £1,150, which was £150 more than in the previous year.
The Ladies’ Lifeboat Guild, in addition to helping in the record flag day collection (£966), raised £35 8s. 5d. by collections, a whist drive and a competition.
In his letter of thanks to the branch the secretary of the institution wrote: “The devotion of our honorary workers and the response of the public year after year are now almost as traditional as is the bravery of our crews. We never cease to wonder at and admire this widespread constancy of thought and action in support of our great and humane undertaking. It is such generosity that has helped us to build up the finest life-boat service in the world.’
[advertisements and articles]
Winchester Man in Iraq
Flight-Lieutenant Peter Edge, of the Royal Air Force Dental Branch, late of the 1st Winchester Troop of Scouts, is taking full advantage of his early training by being prepared for anything in Iraq.
At present he is employed in visiting isolated units in the Persia and Iraq command. His trips take him across hundreds of miles of sand, along dusty desert tracks marked out (if he is lucky) by old petrol tins
Summer temperatures rarely drop below the 120 mark, and in winter it is bitterly cold. It is a constant source of wonderment to the British soldier that the natives have managed to survive at all!
The Flight-Lieutenant’s father and mother live in Cromwell-road, Winchester.
[incomplete article]
Collection
Citation
Southern Daily Echo, “Sotonian's D.S.O. won over Germany,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed May 5, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/16117.
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