South Yorkshire Times, September 19, 1942
Praised By Bomber Command
Cool Young Conisbrough Sergeant
Mr. and Mrs T. Donohue, of 16, Athelstane Road, Conisbrough, have been informed that their eldest son, Sgt. Reginald Donohue, R.A.F., has been mentioned in Bomber Command Orders.
The Order reads: ”The Commander in Chief wishes to bring to the notice of all ranks in the Command the courage and presence of mind displayed by Sgt. Donohue, A/C Kaye, and A/C Scoble. On the night of the 26th July. 1812. Sgt. Donohue, as N.C.O. in charge of the Bombing Range, was standing on the sea bank with A/C. Kaye, when he observed a red Verey light from an aircraft. One minute later he saw a sheet of flame in the sky, followed by a terrific flash flames and black smoke from the ground.
Realising that an aircraft had crashed with incendiaries on board, Sergt. Donohue plotted the position of the fire and found it to be on the mud flats about five miles from the bombing range. He obtained transport with crash and first aid kits and ordered three airmen to accompany him to the crash. On arrival at the crash he found soldiers and police on the scene, who said they had not seen any of the crew. The aircraft was burning and Sgt. Donohue proceeded to it and saw one badly burned body. He then examined the aircraft which was broken into various sections and found the air gunner in the mid upper turret. The air gunner was removed from the turret with the assistance of A/C. Kit’s and A/C. Scoble, but he was found to be dead. Further parts of the burning wreckage were examined and three more bodies discovered. Realising at this stage that there were no lives to be saved, Sergt. Donohue endeavoured to remove the body of the air gunner to the sea bank as the tide was coming in.
The other personnel (not R:A.F.) on the scene considered that the tide was coming in too fast to make it safe to remain any longer but Sergt. Donohue and the two airmen remained and tried to bring the bodies to the sea bank, although in danger of being cut off themselves. It was, however, found impossible to bring the bodies ashore, and Sergt. Donohue returned to their quarters, having worked in darkness for some five hours. Although all the members of the aircraft were found to be killed, either by the explosion which is believed to have occurred In the machine or by the impact of its crash, Sergt. Donohue showed great presence of mind and did all that he possibly could in an endeavour to save life. The crash occurred at night in a position where there are quicksands, and there was a rising tide, and the efforts of Sergt. Donohue and the two airmen are deserving of the highest praise.”
This is the third time Sergt. Donohue has been mentioned in Bomber Command Orders. On a previous occasion he was instrumental in bringing about the arrest and punishment of a member of the I.R.A., whom he saw acting in a suspicious manner near an ammunition dump. He is at present engaged as an Instructor, but he has had more than twelve months on operations with Bomber Command, and during this time he has been over Norway, Germany, and the Skoda Works in Czechoslovakia.
He Is only 22, and at one time he was the youngest N.C.O. ever to be In charge of a station He doesn’t like being grounded and hopes to be on operations again before very long.
Prior to enlistment Sergt. Donohue was on the surveying staff at Cadeby Colliery.