219838 P/O. Donald John Applin Royal Canadian Air Force 419 Squadron from:Middleton St George (d.13th Jun 1944) Donny Applin was my auntie's fiance from Montreal Canada. All we knew was he was shot down over Cambrai and missing believed dead. My aunt and her brother, my father never knew what happened to him and now they are also dead. I have a locket with a picture of Donny in it and for the last 40 years I have been looking at every monument in hopes of some idea to put a story to the locket My eldest brother was named after him and I needed to find something out.
I have just returned from a holiday to York and was surprised to discover an astronomical clock beautiful as a memorial to British and allied airmen killed during the war given with gratitude by the people of York. There was also a book of remembrance with the names and there he was including squadron number and the rest was easy.
My mistake was to look under Aplin but not Applin. So I found where he was stationed, where he is buried with 4 others of his crew,that he was a wireless operator that 2 escaped and made it back to England.
I just felt so sorry that mine and his family never knew. It was such a huge tragedy to them. My aunt never believed he was dead and that he would come back. She eventually after 10 years married. If any Applin family are looking for Donny I hope they will read this Thank you
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