Avid listeners to Robbie Buck’s Breakfast program on ABC Radio 702 last week will have heard the story of Rex Valentine Donowa, a young man from Bankstown who was killed over Belgium while taking part in a bombing raid during the Second World War.

Each year a group of Belgian researchers honour the crew members of the RAF Lancaster bomber that was shot down over Postel, near Antwerp, on 23 April 1944. Robbie Buck interviewed a British historian who is helping the researchers to find relatives and collect information about Rex and the other aircrew.

Following the segment on Robbie Buck’s show last Tuesday (7 February), Melinda Meyer, whose father and Rex’s younger brother Ian had been lifelong friends, contacted me. She knew that Ian had come to Newington and wondered if Rex had too.

It turned out that Rex came to Newington from 1935 to 1940, gaining his Leaving Certificate that year. He was a keen sportsman, playing in the College’s 1st XV rugby team (seated on the ground at the right in this team photo) and shooting in the senior Rifle team. After leaving school Rex worked in his father’s real estate business in Bankstown. A committed Christian, he was a youth group member and Sunday School teacher. He was called up for the Army in October 1941 and, on his discharge a year later, immediately joined the RAAF. After training, with the rank of Flight-Sergeant, he was attached to the RAF’s No. 12 Squadron, serving as the tail gunner of Lancaster ND715.

On Rex’s twenty-first birthday, just days before his final mission, he wrote his last letter to his father. The letter was reproduced in the 1945 edition of The Newingtonian. “Dear Pop”, he wrote, “It is early afternoon of a glorious English spring day — very much like at home, blue skies, soft breezes, etc. Probably this evening I shall be on my way to receive my birthday greetings from Hitler and his friends…. It was my main reason for writing, to convey to you, Dad, my heartfelt appreciation for all the things you have done for me as years have gone by… I promise, Dad, that the hard work you put in on me won’t be wasted.” He noted that “We have a little crew vegetable garden round our hut, and have just put in some carrots, radish and onions; and are hoping for the best.”

Melinda told Rex’s story to Robbie Buck’s listeners on Wednesday and Robbie read out an excerpt from Rex’s letter. We have provided our information to the British historian, who has incorporated it in his commemorative website at http://www.aircrewremembered.com/harvey-james.html. The information has also gone to the researchers in Belgium, to help them continue to honour the service and sacrifice of this fine young Newingtonian and his British and Canadian comrades, in a peaceful cemetery in Antwerp.

Mr David Roberts
College Archivist