Lest We Forget

Donald Betts (R.90407) was born on January 12, 1922, in Stratford, Perth County, Ontario, to parents Joseph Isaac and Louisa (Smith) Betts. Both his parents were British immigrants. He was one of six children, with one brother and four sisters. He attended Romeo Public School from 1927 to 1935, then Stratford Collegiate Institute from 1935 until 1938. After completing high school at 16 years old, he was employed as a Machinist Apprentice in the motive power shops of the Canadian National Railways.  He later married Hazel Gertrude Senior of Stratford.

Donald enlisted for active service in the RCAF as an AC2 on March 11, 1941 (coincidentally, one year prior to the day that his only child, Donna Mae, was born). Three months later, he reported for training on June 23, 1941, in London, Ontario, and was transferred to the Manning Depot in Toronto to complete eight months of training.

On September 4, 1941, LAC Betts was promoted from rank AC2 to rank LAC. In December, he was transferred from the Manning Depot to the No.4 Wireless School in Guelph, Ontario, and graduated on February 12, 1942.

LAC Betts then went on to complete a course at the No.1 Bombing and Gunnery School in Jarvis, Ontario, where he graduated March 14, 1942.  Shortly after graduation, he was promoted to Wireless Air Gunner. A couple days later, he was transferred to 1Y Depot in Halifax, then to RAF Trainee Pool.

Betts deployed overseas to the UK as an attached member of the RAF in May 1942, where he was sent to No.3 Personnel Reception Centre in Bournemouth, England. He remained here for under a month, and on June 7, 1942, he was transferred to No.4 Signals School at RAF Madley in Herefordshire, England.

A month later, after completing his courses, he transferred to No.2 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit on July 4, 1942, to continue training. This unit was based in Millom, Cumberland, England. After another month of training at No.2 (O) AFU, on August 4, 1942, Betts transferred to No.29 Operational Training Unit at RAF North Luffenham in Rutland, England.

On September 16, 1942, Betts was promoted to Temporary Flight Sergeant. On November 8, 1942, he transferred to 9 Com Flt, and the next day Flight Sergeant Betts was transferred to No.1661 Heavy Conversion Unit stationed at RAF Winthorpe in Nottinghamshire, England.

Flight Sergeant Betts was promoted to Temporary Warrant Officer Class II on March 16, 1943. On April 7, 1943, he was transferred to the No.44 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF, a heavy bomber unit that operated Avro Lancaster aircrafts.

He concluded twenty-nine successful operational flights over enemy territory. On September 1, 1943, Warrant Officer Class II Wireless Operator/Air Gunner Betts was on the last operation of his tour of duty onboard Lancaster III ED665 when the plane was downed over Schönebeck, Germany. All lives were lost. He rests in the Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery with the epitaph imprinted on his headstone “Where he rests in peaceful sleep his memory we will always keep”.