Douglas James Arneil

Douglas James Arneil was a 19 year old male who was born on April 23, 1924 in Clarkson, Ontario who unfortunately passed away at that age. He is a French Canadian with Scottish background having blue coloured eyes and short brown hair while being 5’9 ½. He lived with his father, William Storie Arneil and mother, Annie Arneil and two sisters, Maude Marquis Arneil and Mary Sommevill Arneil on 535 Percy Street in Ottawa, Ontario before being enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

He received his education at Humberside Collegiate in Toronto before moving to Ottawa where he attended Glebe Collegiate Institute during the year 1940. During his high school years, he was an athletic student who participated in sports such as football, hockey, baseball and swimming before he had finished 5 years of high school at 18. In addition to his training, he was known for his hard work and dedication put into his training. He was also viewed as a great colleague to associate and work with.

Douglas James Arneil died the evening of November 28, 1943 at the age of 19. Arneil was nearing the end of his training overseas when he died in a training exercise. His death was caused by an aircraft accident, he was navigating an aircraft when his and another aircraft crashed. The collision was in Baynards Green, Oxfordshire, UK. Arneil was buried at the Oxford (Botley) Cemetery in Berkshire, UK, plot 1/2, grave 113. His grave has the inscription “To live forever in the hearts of those we love is not to die”.

Douglas James Arneil enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force, on April 15, 1942. He enlisted at the N. 12 recruiting center in Ottawa, ON. Arneil was still a student at Glebe when he enlisted and his air force number was: J.23347. He was appointed Pilot Officer January 22, 1943, and the same day was awarded the Air Observers Badge. A year after Arneil enlisted in the RCAF he arrived in England, April 15, 1943. We believe he enlisted because he knew soldiers were needed, and he was young and athletic leading him to be a good candidate.

Douglas James Arneil

Arneil, Douglas James né le 23 avril 1924 en Clarkson, Ontario, est décédé le 28 novembre 1943 à l'âge de 19 ans. Il vit avec sa mère Annie Gallacher Arneil, pere William Storie Arneil et deux sœurs Maude Marquis Arneil et Mary Sommeville Arneil dans Ottawa au 535 Percy avant d' entrer dans l'aviation royale canadienne. Douglas est d'origine écossaise mais premièrement français Canadien. Sa taille était de 5,10 avec yeux bleus. Douglas aime le football, le hockey, le baseball et la natation et il joue beaucoup de ces sports avant enrole. Il est allé au Humberside Collegiate à Toronto avant de se déplacer à Ottawa et d'aller au Glebe Collegiate Institute. Il est arrivé à Ottawa et est allé au Glebe pendant l'année 1940. Il a fini son éducation quand il était 18. Douglas était connu pour travail fort et dévouement a tout c’est sports, éducation et dans l’aviation royale canadienne.

Arniel, Douglas, James était un officier volant et il a pris 2 ans dans cette occupation et il a été enrôlé dans la guerre en (22-1-43) et il a été enrôlé. au N.O 12 centre de recrutement. Quand il a été enrôlé, il avait juste 18 ans.1 ans après qu'il a été enrôlé, il est arrivé en Angleterre. Arniel était vraiment proche à finir son entraînement outre-mer mais il était mort dans un exercice d' exercice. Son numéro d' uniforme était R16147A2941mais son numéro de pilot était J.23347. Il a obtenu un badge de Air observers badge sur le (22-1-43) et ca c'était la même date qu'il était enrôlé. On pense qu'il a enrôlé, car il était sportif alors il était athlétique et jeune. Car il a enrôlé on pense aussi il doit être un mature, un Intrépide et courageux individuel.

Arniel, Douglas, James est tué le 28 novembre 1943 quand il était dans un collisions avec un autre avion quand il était entrain de faire un exercice d'entraînement. Il a collide avec un autre avion de cette unité, après l’aviation royale canadienne a trouvé que ce n'était la faute de personne. Les avion a collide juste après décoller et à collide près de l' aérodrome à un altitude de 3000 pieds . Il a collide dans Oxfordshire,Uk. Arniel a été enterré dans Botley, Oxford Cimetière du Berkshire. Ce tombeau est numéro 113 et son nom est aussi inclure sur le mur commémoratif du bomber command a Nanton, AB.

Newspaper Clipping – Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal.

Newspaper Clipping – Remembered on the pages of the Ottawa Journal

Picture of Douglas James Arneil’s tombstone

Douglas’s Name on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB

The Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB

Primary Source Documents : https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2436679?Douglas%20James%20Arneil

Works Cited

Douglas James Arneil - The Canadian Virtual War Memorial - Veterans Affairs Canada, https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2436679. Accessed 26 October 2023.

“ARNEIL, D J - Flying Officer.” The Canadian Fallen, https://canadianfallen.ca/85921/ARNEIL. Accessed 26 October 2023.

“ARNEIL, DOUGLAS JAMES.” Collection Search, 29 June 2023, https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=kia&IdNumber=906. Accessed 26 October 2023.

“Flying Officer Douglas James Arneil | War Casualty Details 2436679 | CWGC.” The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2436679/douglas-james-arneil/. Accessed 26 October 2023.

“Canadian Virtual War Memorial.” Flying Officer Douglas James Arneil, Governement of Canada,Douglas James Arneil - The Canadian Virtual War Memorial - Veterans Affairs Canada. Accessed 20 October 2024.

“Flying Officer DOUGLAS JAMES (D J) ARNEIL.” NWORA Association, https://canadianfallen.ca/85921/ARNEIL. Accessed 18 October 2024.

“Flying Officer DOUGLAS JAMES ARNEIL.” Flying Officer Douglas James Arneil | War Casualty Details 2436679 | CWGC. Accessed 23 October 2024.

The biographies appearing on this website have been written by students, roughly the same age as the soldiers they are studying, using primary source evidence from Library and Archives Canada, in addition to primary source documents from The Virtual War Memorial on veterans.ca. We welcome any corrections or additions you may have to these biographies.

'If we do preserve it, we honour them, and when we in our turn pass on, we will know that behind us lives a generation of free men and of free women to be the keepers of this great heritage of ours - Canada.'

- Ian A. McPhee, former student at GCI, 1937.

Glebe Collegiate Institute
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada

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