Donald Stevens (1919-1944)

Donald Stevens (1919-1944)

Second World War Roll of Honour 

Donald Stevens was born in Farnborough, Hampshire, on 8 August 1919, the son of Herbert Lawrence Stevens, a civil engineer, and Beryl Marjorie (née Gentry) Stevens of "Hawthorn", Menin Way, Farnham in Surrey. He was educated at Bradfield College, Berkshire, and King's School, Wimbledon, before matriculating at Downing College in 1938, studying Mechanical Sciences. Donald was a member of the College Football XI in 1939 and 1940 (when they won the inter-collegiate Cuppers tournament) and also represented the College at Hockey and Athletics. He graduated in August 1941 and enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, where he rose to the rank of Leading Aircraftman before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on 1 January 1943. He was promoted to Flying Officer on 1 July 1943 and was attached to No. 21 Operational Training Unit, Royal Air Force.

On 10 June 1944, Donald Stevens took off in Hurricane Mk II PG425 and, while he was flying at low level, the aircraft crashed into trees at Long Compton in Warwickshire, and he was killed. He was 24 years old.

Flying Officer Stevens is also commemorated on the war memorials at Bradfield College and the King's School, Wimbledon and at St John’s Crematorium in Woking.

Image

Downing College Association Football, 1939 (DCPH/2/3/5/4a, copyright Lafayette Photography Ltd). Donald Stevens is second from the right on the middle row. This photograph also includes Noel Geoffrey Sprake (second from left, front), who was killed in action in 1942.