Donald Pittman

Biography

Donald Thane Pitman was the only child of Arthur Joseph Pitman and Ethel Thane. He died on the night of 17th January 1943 when his Lancaster bomber was shot down when returning from a raid on Berlin. Prior to World War 2 Donald was a child actor. He appeared with Richard Tauber in "Blossom Time". He played the part of Davy Ashton in the 1935 film "The Last Light of Day". He played the part of Gussy in the 1935 film "Emil and the Detectives", he also had an uncredited part in "The Ghost Goes West". In his later career he changed his professional name to Stuart Thane. In World War 2 Donald joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and achieved the rank of Sergeant; his service number was 984566. Donald was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal in 1942. His award was listed in the Supplement to the London Gazette dated 11th August 1942 (page 3498). Donald was killed by enemy action on the night of 17th January 1943. He was in an Avro Lancaster, registration number W4772, which took part in the air raid on Berlin that night. His Lancaster is recorded as having crashed in the North Sea 10km West of Vlieland. The island of Vlieland is off the West coast of Holland and is a member of the Dutch Wadden Sea Islands. In the book 'Nachtjagd, Defenders of the Reich 1940-1943' (ISBN: 9781473849839), at the beginning of chapter 8 the raid on Berlin on the 17th January is described. In this there is a vivid description of an attack on a Lancaster which was shot down by night fighter pilot Uffizier Karl Pfeiffer of the IV/NJG 1, flying a Bf 110 F-4 or Do 215 B-5 from Leeuwarden airfield. The location was at 10km West of Vlieland at 23.29. This is most likely to be the Lancaster W4772 in which Donald was travelling. Donald's sacrifice is recorded on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 161.