Donald Stewart Hegan was born in Coventry in 1916 to Horace James Hegan and his wife May nee Booth. His father was a chemist, who travelled to the USA as part of his profession and was the chief research chemist at Courtaulds in Coventry. Donald was educated at Coventry Preparatory School and Wrekin College before going up to Exeter College, Oxford; he, like his father, became a research chemist and was living at home at 69, Kenilworth Road with his parents at the time of the 1939 register. Although his work was a "reserved occupation" he joined the RAF in 1940, undertaking training in the USA. He was married in 1941 to Valerie Kerby, many of whose family are also buried at Stoneleigh - her parents and brother at
B1.22.
Donald became a Pilot Officer Observer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and died on 31 October 1942 during training at Amerton, Staffordshire, as the result of a flying accident in a Wellington bomber. He and five other crew were all killed. His last address was Oak Lawns, Stoneleigh Road, Gibbet Hill. He and Valerie had been married for less than a year.