Rae, Hugh MacKay

Killed in Action 1943-12-08

Birth Date: 1915

Born:

Son of Warren Hugh and Christina Rae, of Scotsburn, Nova Scotia; husband of Lorna M. Rae, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Home: Scotsburn, Pictou County, Nova Scotia

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

116 Sqn- Squadron

Base

Rank

Flight Lieutenant

Position

Flight Lieutenant

Service Numbers

C/1361

Home
Google MapScotsburn, Pictou County, Nova Scotia
First Burial
Google MapGander Cemetery, Gander, Newfoundland
116 Bombing and Reconnaissance Squadron, Gander, Newfoundland. Flight Lieutenant Rae was engaged in night flying instruction and was the only casualty when Canso aircraft 9833 ran off the runway and into a ditch at Gander, Newfoundland.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Canso A Serial: 9833

All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.

Findagrave.com

Canso 9833

Flight Lieutenant Rae, Hugh MacKay (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1943-December-08
CWG Cemetery, Gander, Newfoundland, Canada

Consolidated Canso Catalina PBY PB2B A-10 OA-10 Black Cat

RCAF Canso A (Serial No. 9754), No. 162 Squadron, F/L David Ernest Hornell aircraft.
Hornell pby Yarmouth 1943 (003).jpg image not found

The Consolidated Catalina and Canso were close cousins. The Canso was the true amphibious version of the design and therefore included a conventional undercarriage to allow for either water or land use. The Canso provided more than two decades of valuable service to the RCAF. The Catalina variant came first and was produced beginning in 1935 for the United States Navy. The amphibious version, designated PBY-5A, came in service early in 1941 and the RCAF began using the aircraft on anti-submarine patrols that same year. After the Second World War, the RCAF used Cansos for search and rescue, Arctic survey missions and various transport operations.RCAF

YouTube Canso PBY

Wikipedia Wikipedia Canso PBY

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Canso 9833

Canso A 9833

With No. 116 (BR) Squadron at Botwood Bay, Newfoundland. Crashed into ditch at end of Runway 32 after landing at Gander on 8 December 1943. Only fatality was pilot Flight Lieutenant H. MacKay. To No. 19 Sub Repair Depot at RCAF Station Gander, Newfoundland on 21 December 1943. Apparently not repaired.
{{link,canadaprimary,https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c5933/2115,RCAF - Accident Investigation File}}

1943-07-31 Taken on Strength Eastern Air Command 2019-08-20
1943-December-08 Accident: 116 Squadron Loc: Aerodrome Names: Bickes | Chamber | Frost | Owen | Rae | Smith
1944-04-12 Struck off Strength Struck off, scrapped. 2019-08-20