Full Name: David Keith O’DONNELL
Nationality: New Zealand 
Rank: Flying Officer
Service: Royal New Zealand Air Force
Unit: 214 FMS Squadron
Age at Death: 21
Date of Death: 15 January 1943
Service Number: 402063
Memorial: Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, UK
Reference: Panel 197
View David’s details on the Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database
CWGC Certificate:http://www.cwgc.org/search-for-war-dead/casualty/1803537/O’DONNELL,%20DAVID%20KEITH
David O’Donnell was born on 21 July 1921, the son of David and Esther O’Donnell (nee Collard), of Aramoho.
David was Navigator aboard Stirling I W 7637/W when it took off at 18:26 from Chedburgh on a raid on Lorient, France, involving 157 aircraft. It was among three planes lost without trace.
The crew of Stirling Mark I W7637 BU-W killed that afternoon consisted of :- Sqn/Ldr Paul Winstanley Manners Carlyon DFC, 42672, Royal Air Force [31]
- Sgt Lawrence Carr, 1121598, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [28]
- Sgt John Laurence Kemp, 1235720, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [19]
- Flg/Off David Keith O’Donnell, 402063, Royal New Zealand Air Force [22]
- Plt/Off John Nelson Peck, J/16748, Royal Canadian Air Force [27]
- Plt/Off Peter Francis Pinder, J/16143, Royal Canadian Air Force [21]
- Sgt Charles Edgar Clarke Ransom, 994313, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [31]
According the Sgt Carr’s nephew this crew flew over thirty times together.
Sources: www.214squadron.org.uk, www.canadaatwar.ca
