Remembering World War II

Name: Douglas Haig Matheson Rank: Sergeant (Pilot) Service Number: R/50802 Service: 119 Squadron in Canada, and No. 57 (RAF) Operational Training Unit, Royal Canadian Air Force Date of Birth: August 26, 1918 Place of Birth: Calgary, Alberta Date of Enlistment: February 8, 1940 Place of Enlistment: RCAF Recruiting Centre, Calgary Alberta Address at Enlistment: Calgary Alberta Age at Enlistment: 21 Marital Status: Married Occupation: Labourer and Salesman Religion: United Church Next of Kin: Charles Goodwin (Father), (at enlistment) Alice Goodwin (Wife), Yarmouth, NS Date of Death: June 4, 1943 Age: 24 Cemetery: Chevington Cemetery, Northumberland, United Kingdom Grave: Section H, Grave 204 Commemorated on page 188 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 17 Douglas Haig Matheson was the son of Charles Winfield (1878-1968) and Anne (Burn) Matheson (1891-1936), the brother of William Winfield Matheson (1911-1956), Charles Beresford Matheson (1912-1992), John Milton Alexander Matheson (1917-2009), and Helen Annie (Matheson) Lock (1915-2002), and the husband of Alice May Goodwin (1921-1981) of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Doug’s brother William served with the Canadian Army overseas, his brother Warrant Officer Class I Charles had recently returned home from serving with the RCAF overseas in 1943, and his brother John served with the South Alberta Regiment during WWII. Doug’s wife Alice’s brother, William Herbert Goodwin, served as a volunteer firefighter for 17 years. Douglas’ hobbies and sports included matchbook collecting, hunting, boxing, hockey, skiing, softball, swimming, and running. He was educated at the Bluffton and Grimshaw schools, and later at the East Calgary High School. He served three years in the Non Permanent Active Militia (NPAM / Reserves) prior to his RCAF enlistment, including service with A Company of the 50th Tank from December 20, 1934, until December 12, 1935. After enlistment in February of 1940, Douglas was assigned to the 119 Bomber Reconnaissance (BR) Squadron in Vancouver, British Columbia. Continuing to serve with 119 Squadron, he was transferred to RCAF Station Yarmouth in Nova Scotia on July 15, 1940. Three months after transferring to Yarmouth, Douglas married Alice May Goodwin (later McHart) of Yarmouth on September 30, 1940. Alice worked at the Cosmos Imperial Mills in Yarmouth. She was born in Doucetteville, Digby Co., NS and resided in Yarmouth; the daughter of Daniel Goodwin and Annie (Wagner) Goodwin of Yarmouth. Douglas was assigned standard general duties, and served as a cook while at RCAF Station Yarmouth. He resided off base and lived with his wife Alice in the town of Yarmouth. Douglas and Alice had one daughter, Alice May Matheson, born December 16, 1941. They Shall Grow Not Old: A Book of Remembrance by Harry Hayward and Les Allison, page 471, states that the couple also had a second daughter. Douglas suffered an unfortunate accident on November 7, 1940, walking home from RCAF Station Yarmouth at about 9:15 pm. He was struck by a passing vehicle. He was walking west on the south side of Parade Street close the No. 60 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre (Camp 60). A passing car was towing a truck and part of the second vehicle struck him. He was thrown into the ditch near the pavement and lay there in a semi- conscious condition. Alfred Kay, a foreman with Tomlinson Construction, located Douglas and with the help a soldier, arranged for help from the military training camp. Details of his recovery are not recorded but he continued to serve in Yarmouth until the beginning of 1942. He subsequently transferred to RCAF Station Sydney in Cape Breton, on January 1, 1942. Douglas wanted to be a pilot and on April 26, 1942, he transferred to the No. 3 Initial Training School (3 ITS) in Victoriaville, Quebec for flight training. He continued his training at the No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School (11 EFTS) at RCAF Cap de la Madeleine in Quebec beginning August 2, 1942. On October 25, 1942, he was taken on strength at No. 13 Service Flying Training School (13 SFTS) at St. Hubert, Quebec, earning his Pilot Flying Badge on February 19, 1943, and completing training there on March 3rd. He departed Canada in early March and arrived in the United Kingdom on March 17, 1943. In June of 1943, Douglas was stationed at the RAF Eshott aerodrome in Morpeth, Northumberland, England, serving with the RAF’s No. 57 Operational Training Unit (57 OTU). Sergeant Douglas Haig Matheson lost his life when his Spitfire aircraft X4896 struck by another Spitfire (N3163) of 57 OTU while taxying on the runway at the Eshott at 10:45 am on June 4, 1943. He was removed to the medical station after the collision, where he died of his wounds a half hour later at 11:15 am. Douglas is interred at the Chevington Cemetery in East Chevington in Northumberland.

Douglas Haig Matheson

Source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial findagrave

Calgary Herald, Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 23, 1943, Page 18