We regret to advise of the death of Chief Warrant Officer Donald Earl “Blitz” McCullough, CD (Ret'd) in Ottawa on 2 July 2004.
Earl was born in Ottawa in 1920. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Engineers (Non-Permanent Active Militia) in 1937 and, shortly thereafter, he accompanied a General Staff Geographical Section survey party to Georgian Bay as a student assistant. In May 1939 he participated in the 1st Field Survey Company's demonstration at Owen Sound of the unit's developing capabilities. Earl enlisted with 1 Corps Field Survey Company in September 1939. He went overseas in January 1940 and received advanced training at Aldershot and as a Topographic Surveyor at the Royal Engineer School, Southampton (Ordnance Survey). He spent two months with the Royal Canadian Engineers on airfield construction projects in the United Kingdom, then asa Royal Artillery surveyor on coastal batteries and radar sites. In April 1944 he was transferred to the 1st Field (Air) Survey Company to work on the preparation of D-Day maps and in August 1944 went to the Continent where he saw service in France, Belgium, Germany, and Holland.
In February 1945, Earl returned to Canada and the General Staff Geographical Section. He trained at Rockcliffe and in 1948 transferred from survey to photogrammetry. He served as Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army Survey Establishment in 1965-66 and 1970-71. Earl was the first non-commissioned officer to teach an academic course at the Royal Military College, Kingston teaching photogrammetry. He retired from the Army in 1972. After his retirement he supervised the survey work for the reconstruction of the Alaska Highway.
A memorial service will be held in the chapel of the Rideau and Perley Veterans’ Health Centre, 1750 Russell Rd, Ottawa, on 14 August followed by burial at the Capital Memorial Gardens, 3700 Prince of Wales Drive. Donations may be made to the Rideau and Perley Veterans’ Health Centre or to the Alzheimer Society. {gdNov2015kh}