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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Douglas Gordon Rathwell

In memory of:

Flying Officer Douglas Gordon Rathwell

March 31, 1945

Military Service

Service Number:

J/40731

Age:

22

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

434 Sqdn.

Additional Information

Son of Gordon H. and Dorothy Rathwell, of Lachine, Province of Quebec, Canada.

Commemorated on Page 557 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

HAMBURG CEMETERY
Germany

Grave Reference:

3A. J. 10.

Location:

Ohlsdorf is a village on the river Alster, about 9 km north east of the city of Hamburg on the eastern side of the city airport. Approaching from Hannover or Kiel leave the Autoroute A7 at the junction with the 432 following signposts for the Airport (Flughaven). After 2 km turn right onto Swebenweg which later merges with Krohnstieg and passes under the airport runway. After 4 km turn right onto 433 Chaussee. After 2 km turn left onto Erdkampsweg following signs for Barmbek. Continue along this road for 1.7 Km then turn right immediately before a prominent railway bridge, onto a road calledI M Grunen Grund. After a further 600 metres turn left into Alsterdorfer, the HAMBURG CEMETERY is located in this street at the junction with Fuhlsbuttlerstrasse. The Commission plot is signposted in the HAMBURG CEMETERY and is located 300 metres from the Chapel. Visitors should note that this cemetery is restricted to normal opening hours.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Document– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

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    Document
    Document – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of DOUGLAS GORDON RATHWELL– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

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    Photo of DOUGLAS GORDON RATHWELL
    Photo of DOUGLAS GORDON RATHWELL – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

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    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Grave marker– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

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    Grave marker
    Grave marker – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– From the Montreal Star. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – From the Montreal Star. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Montreal Star. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – From the Montreal Star. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of Douglas Gordon Rathwell– Courtesy McGill University archives

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    Photo of Douglas Gordon Rathwell
    Photo of Douglas Gordon Rathwell – Courtesy McGill University archives
  • Newspaper Clipping– Flying Officer Douglas Gordon Rathwell obit Montreal Star May 9 1945 courtesy McGill University archives

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    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – Flying Officer Douglas Gordon Rathwell obit Montreal Star May 9 1945 courtesy McGill University archives
  • Newspaper Clipping– The head shot was obtained from the McGill University archives where Douglas studied Commerce before enlisting. He began his military career as a radio operator and then retrained as a navigator. He was killed on March 31, 1945 during a mission over Hamburg. The other two clips are from newspaper articles at the time.

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – The head shot was obtained from the McGill University archives where Douglas studied Commerce before enlisting. He began his military career as a radio operator and then retrained as a navigator. He was killed on March 31, 1945 during a mission over Hamburg. The other two clips are from newspaper articles at the time.
  • Memorial– Flying Officer Douglas Gordon Rathwell is commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Memorial
    Memorial – Flying Officer Douglas Gordon Rathwell is commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Memorial
    Memorial – Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flying Officer Douglas Gordon Rathwell is commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

    Details

    Memorial
    Memorial – Flying Officer Douglas Gordon Rathwell is commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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