Wing Commander D.B.C. Walker

On Thursday, November 11 1943, Donald Broadbent Cecil Walker crossed the English Channel at the controls of his Mosquito LR 478 of 544 Squadron based at RAF Benson with the mission to photograph military targets in southern France, then occupied by the Germans, before flying onto Gibraltar.
While heading to the continent, maybe the young pilot thought of his parents, his brother John David, in the future of Europe, his plans, no doubt, of that home after the war. A.M. Crow travelled with him as co-pilot. They may have exchanged a few phrases, admired the landscape, prayed, or even wished each other luck.
The truth is that the aircraft was hit by Nazi anti-aircraft artillery. They headed to Spain and succeeded in crossing the Pyrenees. The co-pilot jumped out and dropped by parachute near Sos del Rey Catolico, but Donald could not leave the cockpit and crashed on Mount Verduces. Peña's neighbours were leaving Mass at that time, were celebrating their patron, St. Martin of Tours and amazingly watched the outcome. Some rushed to the scene of the accident, but could not do anything for the pilot. Hours later, he was buried in the small cemetery of the town, which was and is near the top of Mount Peña. Over the years, many neighbours left the town. Today it is just a collection of dilapidated houses that are clinging to a rocky slope at an altitude of 1070 meters. For years, nobody has lived there. Just a church and a house have been restored. A narrow mountain road leads to the old cemetery, hidden by vegetation. Inside you find some steel, several slabs with blurred letters, a rusty pair of crucifixes and a tablet written in English: Here lies the pilot Donald Broadbent Cecil Walker.
Each year, November 1, the mountaineers of Sanguesa decorate his grave with flowers.

The plan is to put up an expedition to go to Mount Peña sometime in early 2011, clean up the area around the grave & lay a wreath to mark Donald's passing.

My intention is to raise enough funds to allow this to happen with any residue funds going to the RAFA Wings Appeal for 2011.

It would also be nice, if it were possible, to meet with those local people & their families who remember that night in 1943 when Mosquito LR 478 came calling.

Please continue to watch the website grow as I attempt to put this plan into action. Feel free to contact me via the contacts page if you have any relevant information or are able to help in anyway.