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MacDonald, Fred Whitten (Flight Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1944-January-23

Birth Date: 1913 (age 31)

Son of Henry Christopher and Sarah Jane MacDonald; husband of Edith Cavell MacDonald.

Husband of Edith Cavell MacDonald

Home: Stellarton, Pictou County, Nova Scotia

Service
RCAF
Unit
1679 (OT) HCU- Heavy Conversion Unit (RAF)
Base
RAF Wombleton
Rank
Flight Sergeant
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Navigator
Service Numbers
R/153164

Lancaster Mk.II DS839

Conversion 1944-January-23 to 1944-January-23

1679 (OT) HCU (RAF) RAF Wombleton

1679 Heavy Conversion Unit, RAF Wombleton. The crew of Lancaster aircraft DS 839 were engaged in a daylight cross-country training exercise when they crashed at Ridgemont, Bedfordshire, England. Accident investigators couldn't establish the cause of the crash, mainly due to the level of destruction of the aircraft, but icing conditions were believed to have been a factor in the crash

Flight Sergeant F W MacDonald (RCAF), Flight Sergeant J J Farrell (RCAF), Flight Sergeant L I Hogan (RCAF), Flying Officer R W Grosser (RCAF), Sergeant S A Carr (RCAF), Sergeant L Thompson (RAFVR) and 1st Lieutenant R M Grove (USAAF) were all killed in this flying accident

General Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database

General RPT - Cresw Losses

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Commonwealth War Graves Commission International Bomber Command Centre

Find-A-Grave.com Finadagrave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Home
Google MapStellarton, Pictou County, Nova Scotia
Burial
Google MapCity Cemetery
Grave 13552

Lancaster DS839

Avro Lancaster

Avro Lancaster Mk. X RCAF Serial FM 213
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same wartime era.

The Lancaster has its origins in the twin-engine Avro Manchester which had been developed during the late 1930s in response to the Air Ministry Specification P.13/36 for a capable medium bomber for "world-wide use". Originally developed as an evolution of the Manchester (which had proved troublesome in service and was retired in 1942), the Lancaster was designed by Roy Chadwick and powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlins and in one version, Bristol Hercules engines. It first saw service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it was the main aircraft for the night-time bombing campaigns that followed. As increasing numbers of the type were produced, it became the principal heavy bomber used by the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and squadrons from other Commonwealth and European countries serving within the RAF, overshadowing the Halifax and Stirling. Wikipedia

YouTube Lancaster Bomber

Wkikpedia Wikipedia

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

last update: 2021-09-18 14:32:33

Lancaster Mk.II DS839

Used briefly by No. 432 (B) Squadron, RCAF.

On 1944-01-23, Squadron Leader A. Ross Dawson, the Chief Technical Officer at Wombleton, wrote in his diary:

"Later tonight one of our kites DS839 "” Lancaster was reported crashed down art Cranfield with all the crew killed including the pilot, 1st Lt Grove (American Air Force) and a good friend of mine. That's the second fatal accident we've had so far & I hope it is the last."

Museum Diary of A Ross Dawson, courtesy CWM




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