Donald was born on 17 January 1926 in Leeds, West Yorkshire and he was the youngest of four boys born to Louis and Rachel nee Saffer. Louis, who served in the Army in WW1, worked as a clothing machinist and during the war he worked in the switch room of Leeds G.P.O. and was a volunteer A.R.P. warden.

Before enlisting, Donald worked for Chadwick’s wholesale fruiterers in Leeds market. Donald served in Italy and returned home on leave. When his leave ended he was assigned to serve in India. Donald was on board Liberator VIII – Serial KH126 operated by 53 Squadron. The aircraft departed from RAF Merryfield enroute to India when it failed to gain enough height to clear a hill. It struck a tree and crashed at White’s Farm near Broadway Pound, six miles from the airfield. It burst into flames with the loss of the five-man crew (all but one Polish) and 22 Army passengers.

Donald’s brother Sidney Montagu Benjamin was also killed serving in the Army on 8 July 1944 in France. Benjamin, Sidney Montagu | Remembering the Jews of WW2