Home | About | Pre WWI | WWI | WWII | Korea | Vietnam | Post Vietnam | Non Wartime | Wounded | Decorated | Contact Us | Search

Don Ross

 

Date and Place of Birth: 1917 Toronto, Ontario Canada
Date and Place of Death:    March 5, 1945 Germany
Baseball Experience: Amateur
Position: Unknown
Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Military Unit: 424 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force
Area Served: European Theater of Operations

Donald A. Ross was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1917. Ross attended Riverdale Collegiate Institute in Toronto and was employed by George W. Grant and Company before enlisting on June 20, 1940. Ross was a prominent local baseball player and played with Webber's and Riverdale Kiwanis.

Don Ross received his pilot's wings and commission in October 1942 at Calgary, and became an instructor at Saskatoon and Pierce. In January 1944, Flight Lieutenant Ross left his wife, Catherine, and their two-month old baby daughter, Beverley Dawn, bound for England and active service with 424 Squadron.

Based at Skipton-on-Swale in North Yorkshire, Don Ross piloted Avro Lancasters on nighttime bombing raids against Nazi targets in Europe.

At 16.42 hours on March 5, 1945, Flight Lieutenant Ross co-piloted a Lancaster bound for Chemnitz in Germany. The bomber failed to return and only one crew member survived, Flight Sergeant Antonek, who was taken prisoner.

Donald Ross is remembered at the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, England. His wife, Catherine, who never remarried, passed away in November 2003, aged 85.

Date Added: February 7, 2013

Baseball's Greatest Sacrifice is associated with Baseball Almanac

Baseball's Greatest Sacrifice is proud to be sponsored by

Big League Chew