Flight Sergeant Bill Donnahey RAFVR

William Edwin Donnahey, or Bill as he was known, was born on the 18th April 1922 at Winson Green in Birmingham, England. His father died when he was very young and his mother remarried and later the family moved to Acocks Green, also in Birmingham. Bill was called up for active service in 1940 but this was deferred because he worked for the railways, which was a reserved occupation. On the 31st December 1941, aged 19, he volunteered for aircrew duties with the RAF and was accepted for training as an air gunner.

Bill undertook his basic training at Blackpool and on the 16th August 1942 was posted to No 1 AAS at Manby for training as an air gunner where he performed well in all exercises, scoring 80.5%. His air gunner training was completed successfully on the 26th September 1942. Bill was married on the 17th October 1942 to his fiancee, Peggy, and was posted to No 28 Operational Conversion Unit at Wymeswold later that month.

It was here that he joined the crew of Pilot Officer Archer and they commenced operational training flying Vickers Wellingtons which was completed in February 1943. The crew was then posted to 199 Squadron at Ingham, Lincolnshire.

Between February 1943 and June 1943 they flew 19 bombing and mining operations, all in Wellingtons.

On the night of the 20/21st April the crew were detailed for a mining operation to Lorient and were attacked by a Ju 88 night fighter which Bill damaged by return fire. Their Wellington also sustained damage and was forced to make an emergency landing at Exeter on return.

In July 1943 199 Squadron converted to Short Stirlings and, after a months training, they resumed operations with their new aircraft. The crew flew 3 more operations, including long trips to Nuremberg and Turin, and completed their tour on the 25th August 1943 at which time Pilot Officer Archer was awarded the DFC.

Bill spent 6 months on non-operational postings before being transferred to 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds to start his second tour in March 1944.

He joined the crew of Pilot Officer B Lydon who were nearing the end of a very hard tour. Their own rear gunner, Sergeant J.A. Bristow, had recently been killed flying with another crew. Bill flew 6 operations with Pilot Officer Lydon, including the raid to Nuremberg on the 30/31st March when the RAF lost 106 aircraft in one night, their highest loss on one night in the war.

Pilot Officer Lydon and crew were screened and Bill then transferred to the crew of Flying Officer W H Way RCAF. He flew 16 operations with this crew and finally completed his second difficult tour on the 3rd June 1944.

Sadly Way's crew was killed on the night of the 6/7th June 1944.

He was then posted to 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit at Blyton as an instructor and later to 1667 Heavy Conversion Unit at Sandtoft and, in October 1945, to 1653 Heavy Conversion Unit at North Luffenham. In 1946 he was posted to the Isle of Man. At the end of July 1946 ,Bill finally left the RAF and returned to civilian life, after having given over four years excellent service.

Bill and his wife Peggy had a daughter, also called Peggy, and the family lived in the Birmingham area at Greet and later moving back to Acocks Green. After the war Bill resumed work on the railways later being employed in the engineering and motor industry in the Midlands. Sadly, both Bill and Peggy Donnahey have passed away, Bill in 1978 and his wife in 1998.

We are grateful to Peggy Hewson, Bill's daughter, for providing the photographs and information used in this item.

Pilot Officer B Lydon and crew pictured at Elsham Wolds in Spring 1944 at or near the end of their tour. Flight Sergeant Donnahey is on the extreme right. Pilot Officer Lydon is third from the left.

Back to the stories