Newspaper Article 1995 – Baronet dies aged 74

Baronet dies aged 74

A former Second World War pilot and prisoner of war, Sir Donald Brisco, baronet, died at Havelock North’s Duart Hospital on Saturday. He was 74.

Sir Donald inherited the title baronet from his father Sir Hylton Brisco. He was the eighth baronet and the title goes to his cousin Campbell Howard Brisco, Winton, near Invercargill.

In 1970 Sir Donald successfully passed real estate exams and worked in real estate in Hawke’s Bay for eight years until retiring. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease for 21 years.

Sir Donald was a warrant officer pilot during the war. He was a prisoner of war for three years and later became a member of the Goldfish Club. The club is for aircrew who survived ditching into the sea.

Sir Donald had been a member of both the Waipawa, and Havelock North Rotary clubs and was a member of Probus. He was also a Justice of the Peace.

Photo caption – Sir Donald