Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 85 Donald Sprague 'Carl' Ross was born in Woodstock, New Brunswick, on 14 October 1918, to Ernest and Mary (Sprague) Ross. He was already in possession of his civilian pilot license, when he sailed from Halifax, in November 1938, to join the Royal Air Force. Carl was posted to 54 Squadron on 1 September 1939 where he flew Spitfire fighters. In May 1940, the unit was providing air cover for the evacuation of Dunkirk. On 15 May Carl’s Spitfire was crippled over France; nonetheless, he was able to make it back to England before attempting a landing on the Thornton Park golf course. Flying Officer Donald Sprague Ross died in that crash. He was 22 years old. It was early in the war, and it was decided to return his body to Canada for burial rather than adhere to the Great War regulation of burying war dead in the country of their death.Later in the war his family endured a further loss when Carl's youngest brother Walter was killed in a training accident on the mortar range at Camp Sussex, NB on 29 May 1944, at the age of 21. The brothers are buried Woodstock Methodist Cemetery, Woodstock, NB. NOTE: Dave Gilhen would welcome any additional information related to the members of the Halifax 100. continued ...
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