Donald Grant was a farmer when he enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Air Force at the end of 1940. He was trained at the RNZAF base at Wigram, Christchurch, passing out in June, 1941.
He was assigned to No. 619 (Lancaster) Squadron, RAF, as Bomb-aimer, and his final mission was to a French town, Revigny, to attack a railway junction just after DDay. Their target was an important part of the German supply line to the invasion area.
Their plane was shot down, presumably by a German night fighter, and crashed at Ussy-sur-Marne, where the crew are buried. It was one of five lost by the Squadron that night.
| "Pilots who passed out on completion of their training at Wigram on Saturday."-Press, 16/6/1941. D I Grant is top row, second from left. |
FOR THE EMPIRE’S CAUSE
In Memoriam
GRANT.—In loving memory of Flying Officer Donald Irving Grant, 619 Bomber Squadron, killed in operations over Occupied France, July 19, 1944. — Inserted by his loving family, Oamaru. -Otago Daily Times, 19/7/1946.
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| Maheno Cemetery. |
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