Leading Aircraftman Reuben Alexander Donnelly

Survivor of WW2

Date of Death:

Biography General Links Ranks Awards Chronology Print

Service Biography

Reuben Alexander Donnelly was born in Huntingdon, Quebec, on 25 May 1913. He attended Elgin School and later worked on farms, in a milk factory, as a machinist and in ammunition production at Valleyfield. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on 8 August 1941 and served in Canada as a motor mechanic, rising to Leading Aircraftman. During his service he married Marguerite St. Onge and became the father of Caroline June and Donald Ruben. He was discharged at Shelburne, Nova Scotia, on compassionate grounds on 15 January 1944. Known as “Buster,” he died in Cornwall, Ontario, on 16 October 1986.

General Information

Conflict:

WW2

Regimental No.:

R127016

Cause of Death (in war):

Survived

Branch:

Air Force

Regiment:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Battalion:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Company:

Date of Birth :

Place of Birth:

Huntingdon, Quebec

Date of Enlistment:

Age at Enlistment:

28 years 2 months

Date of Discharge:

Age at Discharge:

30 years 7 months

Date of Death:

Age at Death:

73 years 4 months

Country Born:

Canada

Trade or Calling:

Ammunition worker

Next of Kin:

Henry Andrew Donnelly, father, Glen Elm, Quebec

Address at Enlistment:

25 Academy Street, Valleyfield, Quebec

Religion:

Roman Catholic

Place of Enlistment:

Montreal, Quebec

Was a Prisoner of War:

Height:

5 ft 7.5 in / 171 cm

Weight:

171 lbs / 78 kg

Chest:

36.3 in / 92 cm

Expansion:

2.5 in / 6 cm

Marital Status:

Married

Prior Military Experience:

Saw Service in:

Canada

Place of Discharge:

Shelburne, Nova Scotia

Discharge Type:

Regular/End of Service

Discharge Notes:

Battle Died/Wounded:

Length of Service:

890 days in service

Buried at:

Links

Ancestry.com

Ranks

Conflict	Rank	Regiment	Branch	Unit
WW2	Leading Aircraftman	Royal Canadian Air Force	Air Force	Royal Canadian Air Force
Final rank on non-medical discharge.
WW2	Aircraftman First Class	Royal Canadian Air Force	Air Force	Royal Canadian Air Force
WW2	Aircraftman Second Class	Royal Canadian Air Force	Air Force	Royal Canadian Air Force

Awards

Conflict	Award	Action	Date of Award	Date of Citation	Source
WW2	Canadian Volunteer Service Medal

Service Chronology

1941-08-08 — Enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force and signed the declaration undertaking active service anywhere in Canada and beyond Canada. (Montreal, Quebec / RCAF Recruiting Centre)
1941-08-21 — Taken on strength at No. 1 Manning Depot. (Toronto, Ontario / No. 1 Manning Depot)
1941-09-22 — Posted to RCAF Station Gaspé. (Gaspé, Quebec / RCAF Station Gaspé)
1941-09-28 — Hospitalized with acute bronchitis after a severe cold. (Jarvis, Ontario / RCAF hospital)
1941-10-04 — Transferred while under treatment for bronchitis. (Gaspé, Quebec / RCAF)
1941-10-06 — Discharged from hospital following the bronchitis episode. (Gaspé, Quebec / RCAF)
1941-11-05 — Posted to No. 13 Service Flying Training School. (St. Hubert, Quebec / No. 13 S.F.T.S.)
1941-11-29 — Promoted Aircraftman First Class; married Marguerite St. Onge without permission. (Montreal, Quebec / RCAF)
1942-04-06 — Posted to No. 1 Manning Depot. (Toronto, Ontario / No. 1 Manning Depot)
1942-04-08 — Conduct sheet records theft of 5 gallons of gasoline and 1 gallon of oil from the M.T. Section; awarded 28 days detention. (St. Hubert, Quebec / No. 13 S.F.T.S.)
1942-05-06 — Posted to No. 13 Service Flying Training School. (St. Hubert, Quebec / No. 13 S.F.T.S.)
1942-05-12 to 1942-05-31 — Granted 14 days annual leave. (RCAF)
1942-06-10 — Daughter Caroline June Donnelly was born. (Ormstown, Quebec)
1942-09-24 — Posted to No. 1 Manning Depot. (Toronto, Ontario / No. 1 Manning Depot)
1942-10-01 — Promoted Leading Aircraftman. (RCAF)
1943-05-06 — Posted to RCAF Station Halifax. (Halifax, Nova Scotia / RCAF Station Halifax)
1943-05-12 — Posted to No. 1 Manning Depot.
1943-05-13 — Taken on strength at Gaspé. (Gaspé, Quebec / RCAF Station Gaspé)
1943-07-05 — Son Donald Ruben Donnelly was born. (Huntingdon, Quebec)
1943-07-10 to 1943-07-17 — Granted 7 days annual leave. (RCAF)
1943-09-01 to 1943-10-01 — Granted 30 days harvest leave. (RCAF)
1943-12-04 — Struck off strength at Gaspé. (Gaspé, Quebec / RCAF Station Gaspé)
1943-12-06 — Taken on strength at Shelburne. (Shelburne, Nova Scotia / RCAF Station Shelburne)
1943-12-24 to 1943-12-28 — Granted special leave. (RCAF)
1944-01-12 — Medical Board found no disability meriting discharge and recommended discharge on non-medical grounds to return to farm; medical category A4H3. (Shelburne, Nova Scotia / RCAF)
1944-01-15 — Discharged from the RCAF Special Reserve on compassionate grounds under KR(Air) 195(8), after 2 years 158 days service; conduct assessed Good and Air Force trade qualifications Satisfactory. (Shelburne, Nova Scotia / RCAF Station Shelburne)
1986-10-16 — Died aged 73. (Cornwall, Ontario)

Notes

He attended Elgin School at Glen Elm from 1919 to 1927, completing Grade 8, and then worked in agriculture. His service record shows a progression before enlistment from work on his father's farm and other farm employment into machinist work and, immediately before enlistment, ammunition work for Canadian Industries Ltd. at Valleyfield. The occupational history records that he had been unable to qualify as a munition-work machinist. He reported playing softball occasionally. He married Marguerite St. Onge during his service on 29 November 1941; the Record of Service explicitly notes that the marriage was without permission. Their daughter Caroline June was born at Ormstown in 1942 and their son Donald Ruben at Huntingdon in 1943. His conduct sheet records theft of 5 gallons of gasoline and 1 gallon of oil from the M.T. Section at No. 13 S.F.T.S., St. Hubert, on 8 April 1942; he received 28 days detention. At discharge his conduct was assessed Good, Air Force trade qualifications Satisfactory, and qualifications for civil employment 'Average - Mechanic.'

[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]

Enlisted on August 8th, 1941
Ruben Alexander "Buster" Donnelly BIRTH 1913 • Huntingdon, Quebec, Canada DEATH 16 OCT 1986 • Cornwall, Ontario
Marriage 19 Feb 1941 • Montreal, Québec, Canada Thelma Mabel Anderson (1916–1999)
Request confirmation number EA2026_0174254

Additional Service Notes

Served entirely in Canada with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 8 August 1941 to 15 January 1944. He enlisted for active service and declared himself willing to serve anywhere in Canada and beyond Canada. He trained and served as a motor mechanic, progressing from AC2 to AC1 and Leading Aircraftman, with postings including Gaspé, St. Hubert, Toronto, Halifax and Shelburne. During an acute bronchitis episode he was hospitalized at Jarvis beginning 28 September 1941, transferred to Gaspé on 4 October, and discharged from hospital on 6 October 1941. In January 1944 an examination found no disability meriting discharge and recommended discharge on non-medical grounds so that he could return to the farm. His discharge certificate documents the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. He was discharged on compassionate grounds.

Additional Next of Kin Notes

At enlistment his next of kin was his father Henry Andrew Donnelly of Glen Elm. He married Marguerite St. Onge in Montreal on 29 November 1941. Service records list daughter Caroline June Donnelly, born 10 June 1942 at Ormstown and baptized 11 July 1942 at St. Joseph's Church, Huntingdon, and son Donald Ruben Donnelly, born 5 July 1943 at Huntingdon. His 1986 obituary names wife Margaret (St. Onge) and children June (Mrs. Gene Stockbauer), Donald (Audrey), Ann (Mrs. Brian Salter), Richard (Fern), Pat (Marilyn), Ronald (Linda), Gerald (Lynn), Miles (Audrey), Peter (Line), and Lyndon. It states that he had 21 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-10-04 02:05:04 by: marc