Awarded the Pilot Flying Badge on December 4, 1942.
Assigned to the 409 R.C.A.F. Squadron on September 14, 1943.
Awarded the Operational Wings.
At approximately five o'clock in the morning of January 13, 1945 William and his navigator took off on operations against the enemy. While chasing an enemy bomber one of their engines gave the crew a slight amount of trouble, and they had to abandon the chase and return home. It was while landing at our home airdrome that the aircraft crashed and both boys were killed instantly. The pilot evidently thought he was on the runway and did a normal wheel landing, started to nose over in deep snow and in attempting to correct this, overcontrolled and the aircraft stalled in from 50 - 100 feet.
Flight Lieutenant James Edward DONOGHUE J/20234 (Navigator) Royal Canadian Air Force.
Portrait and photos: LAC (Library Archive Canada).
Info from War Diary and Service Records: LAC (Library Archive Canada).
Photograph Regimental patch: ??.
Photograph headstone: Michael van de Velde.
