Person Record

Metadata

Name

McSporran, Donald

Other Names

Donald Halbertson McSporran

Born

1920

Deceased

Dec. 27, 2013

Deceased

Elderslie Township, Ontario

Father

Malcolm McSporran

Mother

Minnie Butchart

Spouse

Irma Westenberger, 1949.

Children

Malcolm
Joanne
Alexander

Relationships

Siblings: Duncan, Barbara and James

Education

Trained as a pilot and received his wings in Brantford, Ont in June 1941.

Occupation

Don joined the RCAF in 1940 and served with 61 Squadron. Don was flying as pilot until Spring 1942. During his first flight as Captain, his bomber was shot down on April 10, 1942. After drifting in a rubber dingy in the English Channel for six days, he became a prisoner of war until 1945. He was discharged from RCAF on Nov. 5, 1945. He later taught school near Toronto and in Richards Landing in the early 1950s. He also later worked as construction inpsector on the Mid-Canada Line, communications lines in Newfoundland, and the Toronto Subway. His last employment was with Toronto International Airport design office.

Don and Irma were very active members of the local field naturalstis and Bruce County Historical Society.

Don and Irma donated a portion of their land on the Brant-Elderslie Line, 1st Concession, south of Chesley, to the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy.

Places

As a child, he lived in Toronto's Lawrence Park. He worked near Toronto, in Toronto and in Newfoundland. He retired to a farm on the Brant-Elderslie Line, 1st Concession south of Chesley in 1980, after purchasing the property in 1970

Sources

Sources:
a) "McSporran, Donald Halbertson" obituary, Bruce County Genealogical Society surname clipping collection.
b) Information provided by McSporran family, 981.051