MacDonald, Gerald Edwin

Killed in Action 1940-07-21

Male Head

Birth Date: 1921

Born:

Son of Samuel Lawrence Macdonald and Hazel C. Macdonald, of Seattle Heights, Washington, U.S.A.

Home: North Battleford, Saskatchewan

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RAF

Unit

204 Sqn- Squadron

Base

Rank

Pilot Officer

Position

Pilot Officer

Service Numbers

42067

Home
Google MapNorth Battleford, Saskatchewan
First Burial
Google MapRunnymede Memorial Surrey, Uk
204 Squadron (Praedum Vastatum). Sunderland aircraft lost off the Shetland Islands. Pilot Officer MacDonald was killed just before his wedding. The bride to be was pregnant, but a wartime marriage seemed wrong to him. His best friend said he had talked Gerald into getting married. Over 20 years later the friend, now a Group Captain in the RCAF, met the would be bride. With her was her 20 year old son who was the spitting image of his father.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Sunderland N9028

Male Head

Pilot Officer MacDonald, Gerald Edwin (RAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1940-July-21
Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK

Short Sunderland

Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page (DND Photo)
Short Sunderland, coded Z, 15 Apr 1943
60fa8696a2e8150215c354be_Short-Sunderland--coded-Z--14-Apr-1943--DND.jpg image not found

The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber, developed and constructed by Short Brothers for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The aircraft took its service name from the town (latterly, city) and port of Sunderland in North East England.

Developed in parallel with the civilian S.23 Empire flying boat, the flagship of Imperial Airways, the Sunderland was developed specifically to conform to the requirements of British Air Ministry Specification R.2/33 for a long-range patrol/reconnaissance flying boat to serve with the Royal Air Force (RAF). As designed, it served as a successor to the earlier Short Sarafand flying boat. Sharing several similarities with the S.23, it featured a more advanced aerodynamic hull and was outfitted with various offensive and defensive armaments, including machine gun turrets, bombs, aerial mines, and depth charges. The Sunderland was powered by four Bristol Pegasus XVIII radial engines and was outfitted with various detection equipment to aid combat operations, including the Leigh searchlight, the ASV Mark II and ASV Mark III radar units, and an astrodome.

The Sunderland was one of the most powerful and widely used flying boats throughout the Second World War. In addition to the RAF, the type was operated by other Allied military air wings, including the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), South African Air Force (SAAF), Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), French Navy, Norwegian Air Force, and the Portuguese Navy. During the conflict, the type was heavily involved in Allied efforts to counter the threat posed by German U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic.Wikipedia

Wikipedia Wikipedia Short Sunderland

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube YouTube Short Sunderland (1940-1949)