The main role of Eastern Air Command during World War Two was anti submarine warfare and convey protection. It also operated, a number of Hurricane fighter squadrons in the Maritimes and Newfoundland.

#125 RCAF Squadron was formed in late 1941 in Sydney, N.S., with a nucleus of Battle of Britain veterans, but was mainly crewed by graduating pilots of the BCATP who were fresh out of training. In the spring of 1942 the squadron moved to the newly completed airport at Torbay, for further training and the defence of St John's and area.

This was at a time when ships were being sunk while loading iron ore at Bell Island, and the Hurricanes were "jury rigged" with bomb racks so depth charges could be carried and the squadron assist with the in-shore anti submarine patrols.

When serviceability and weather permitted, every available hour was used for training. Air to air and air to ground firing, formation flying, practice dogfighting and instrument flying. All in preparation for the squadron when it would go overseas, as it later did as # 441 Squadron.

F/O "Lal" Parsons, a native of Harbour Grace, who had completed pilot training in 1940 was a flight leader of 125 Sqn when it arrived at Torbay. On the afternoon of Aug 27th he authorized two of his Sgt Pilots to conduct a low level formation flying exercise in an area designated for that purpose to the south and west of Bay Bulls.

Sgt's Dean and Ruggles took off and first headed south to Cape Spear where they did three simulated attacks on the Canadian Artillery Coastal Defence Battery there, then continued south to Witless Bay and headed inland.

Low level flying can be a very exhilarating experience and before long they found themselves in unfamiliar territory, and although they did not know where they were, overflying several small fishing communities in the foot of Trinity Bay.

Realizing they were west of their assigned area they turned east and headed inland where they met rising ground. During a steep climbing turn, Ruggles Hurricane stalled, went into a spin and before he could recover, crashed and burned near a small pond.

Dean returned to Torbay where he reported the accident. He was very upset and could not accurately describe the area where the crash had occurred. Parsons took off and searched the authorized training area but could find no evidence of a crash. He then returned to Torbay, contacted the tower and asked what direction Dean had come from when he returned to Torbay.

They replied, from the west and Parsons again took off, this time with Sgt Gilmartin as a spotter. They flew a reciprocals course to Dean's and searched in the general area of Spaniards Bay for an hour and a half without success. Parsons later discovered that if he had gone a little further west in his search he would have found the crash site.

Late that evening a telegram was received from Rev H Kirby, Anglican minister at Harbour Grace. It read

"Saw plane crash 2.45PM this afternoon halfway between new highway and Trinity Bay water. Travelled to scene of crash plane partially destroyed by fire. Pilot dead. Mapped location and can direct party to scene of crash. please advise."

The next morning Parsons left Torbay by trucks with a team that consisted of a Medical Officer, Padre, Armourer and stretcher bearers, and met Kirby and Sgt Tricket of the Newfoundland Constabulary at Tilton, near Spaniards Bay. Constable .Mercer also joined the party later.

The party drove in over a dirt road to as close to the crash as they could and then walked the remaining distance. At the scene they confirmed that Ruggles had died in the crash and there was nothing of the aircraft worth salvaging.

Although he himself was a teetotaller, Parsons had two bottles of Black Rum in his back pack and offered the crew a stiff drink before they commenced the gruesome task of removing the body of the pilot from the aircraft and placing it on a stretcher. In the meantime the armourer confirmed the guns had not been fired, then disabled them and removed the ammunition from the Aircraft.

While they were working several men from the nearby community of Greens Harbour arrived on the scene. They had heard about the crash and were coming to see if they could find the wreckage or provide any assistance.

Seeing the armourer removing the ammunition, they asked if they could have some of the "bullets" . Although sympathetic, Parsons explained the cartridges were "rimless" and it was doubtful could be used in their guns. The men replied that maybe something could be done to the guns or cartridges so they could be used.

On overhearing the conversation, Tricket intervened and told the men that this was wartime and they would not be permitted to take any ammunition from the wreckage. At that Parsons took several belts of ammunition and went to the pond and threw them in the water. He did however take several other belts and threw them under some brush.

Their work completed the party made its way back to the road. It was a hot day and a long walk over difficult terrain with the stretcher and the party were pretty well exhausted by the time they reached their vehicles. When they reached the main highway they stopped at a small store and Parsons treated the party to an ice cream which had never tasted as good, before, or fifty years later as he related the story.

As they were thanking Kirby and Tricket who were returning to Harbour Grace, the policeman drew Parsons to one side and said. "You know, I would not want you go away and think I was so stunned that I did not see what you did with them bullets back there".

The party returned to St John's where Ruggles body was taken to a funeral home and prepared for burial. The funeral service was held at the Anglican Cathedral in St John's and a firing party of his fellow pilots under command of Parsons accompanied the casket to the railway station. A last salute was fired as it was placed on a train for transportation to Gander, where he was laid to rest in the RCAF Cemetery.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission official record reads as follows:
 

RUGGLES, Sgt (Pilot) Douglas Bruce, R/106228. R.C.A.F. 27th August 1942. Age 21. son of Timothy Dwight Ruggles and Magdaline G. Ruggles, of Kenora, Ontario. Plot 3. Row 3 Grave 19