I just found some footage of Sergeant Donne - First D-Day Trophies returning to his squadron, 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron, flying a Typhoon IB DN562, 146 Wing, 84 Group after being shot down on D-Day, many years ago I typed out his escape report. Donne was killed in action on 1st April 1945 buried at Lonneker Roman Catholic Churchyard, Overijssel, Netherlands. WO 208/3320/1979 M.I.9/S/P.G.(-)1979. EVADED CAPTURE IN FRANCE. The information contained in this report is to be treated as SECRET. STATEMENT BY 160230 Sgt. DONNE, Edward Henry, 266 Squadron, 2 T.A.F., A.E.A.F. Left: Allied beach-head North of CAEN, Night 7/8 Jun 44 Arrived: SOUTHAMPTON, 9 Jun 44. Date of Birth: 10 Dec 20. Peacetime Profession: Civil Service Clerk.. R.A.F. Service: Since 29 Jan 42. Private Address: c/o Rhodesia House, O.T.U.: 59 O.T.U. MILFIELD, 429 STRAND, London, W.C.1. Conversion Unit: Nil. Post in crew: Pilot. I took off from NEEDS OAR POINT in a Typhoon fighter-bomber with eight other aircraft on 6 Jun 44 at about 1700 hrs. on an armed reconnaissance looking for tanks in the area South-East of CAEN. When we were about twenty five kilometres South of CAEN we saw a column of German transport an bombed it. When I dropped my bomb there was an explosion and I went up with it. The engine was still running and we carried out another attack, but when returning home about five minutes later it failed and I had no option but to bale out. This was about 1800 hrs. I landed in a field five kilometres West of CAEN. I stuffed my parachute, mae west and gauntlets into the hedge and ran North for about two miles. I then hid between two hedges till about 2030 hrs. Whilst here I saw four German tanks (I think P.Z.K.W. IIs) going South. Some of our own aircraft were dive-bombing a wood next to me and there was also small arms fire. At 2030 hrs. I moved from my hiding place and took northerly direction. I saw two French civilians and as they tried to make off I held them up. I could get no information from them as to the position of our own or enemy troops, so let them go and continued walking North. At about dusk I saw some tanks in the distance which turned out to be SHERMANS and gave myself up to them. They sent me on the back of a motor bicycle to their Bn. Headquarters at BENY-SUR-MERE (FRANCE, 1:250,000, Sheet 8, T 9780) and I was eventually sent in a jeep to COURSELLES-SUR-MERE (T 9685), where I got a lift to the beach-head. I left the beach-head in a tank landing craft with wounded on the night 7/8 Jun and reached SOUTHAMPTON on 9 Jun.
The losses on 1 April 1945 by the the 2nd TAF reflect the intensity of air operations over Holland and the push into Germany supporting ground forces. A total of 27 aircraft lost on the day,16 Spitfires of various Marks and 11 Typhoons Mark 1b Pilots. Killed 11 Evaded 3 Wounded 4 (1 seriously wounded after being hit by flak,crash landed into a minefield.) POW 5 Safe 4 F/O E H Donne was lost while flying Typhoon 1b PD473 "E"...hit by flak over Lonneker Source. Fighter Command losses of the Second World War by Norman L R Franks