MacNeil, Donald Stuart Morrison (Sergeant)

Survived 1944-April-12

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Birth Date: unkown date

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Service

RCAF

Unit

432 (B) Sqn- Squadron
Saeviter Ad Lucem Ferociously toward the light

Base

RAF East Moor

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Air Gunner (Rear)

Service Numbers

R/207301

Sergeant MacNeil survived the crash with burns and a broken collar bone

Crew or Other Personnel

Halifax LW614

Pilot Officer David Gordon Bell RCAF

Pilot Officer Bell, David Gordon (RCAF)
Air Gunner (Mid-Upper)
Killed in Flying Accident
1944-April-12
Stonefall Cemetery, Wetherby Road, Harrogate, Yorkshire, UK

Pilot Officer Arthur Kenneth Clarke RCAF

Pilot Officer Clarke, Arthur Kenneth (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1944-April-12
Stonefall Cemetery, Wetherby Road, Harrogate, Yorkshire, UK

Pilot Officer Francis Edward Cranch RCAF

Pilot Officer Cranch, Francis Edward (RCAF)
Bomb Aimer
Killed in Flying Accident
1944-April-12
Tottenham And Wood Green Cemetery, Tottenham, Middlesex, UK

Sergeant Harvey Halliwell RAFVR

Sergeant Halliwell, Harvey (RAFVR)
Flight Engineer
Killed in Flying Accident
1944-April-12
Middleton (St Leonard) Church Extension, Lancashire, UK

Pilot Officer Felix Campbell Hindmarsh RCAF

Pilot Officer Hindmarsh, Felix Campbell (RCAF)
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Killed in Flying Accident
1944-April-12
Mount Vernon Roman Catholic Cemetery, Edinburgh, UK

Leading Aircraftman David Victor Mackenzie RCAF

Leading Aircraftman Mackenzie, David Victor (RCAF)
Aero Engine Mechanic
Killed in Flying Accident
1944-April-12
Stonefall Cemetery, Wetherby Road, Harrogate, Yorkshire, UK

Sergeant Donald Stuart Morrison MacNeil RCAF

Sergeant MacNeil, Donald Stuart Morrison (RCAF)
Air Gunner (Rear)
Survived
1944-April-12
cemetery unknown

Pilot Officer Thomas Harold Woodard RCAF

Pilot Officer Woodard, Thomas Harold (RCAF)
Navigator
Killed in Flying Accident
1944-April-12
Stonefall Cemetery, Wetherby Road, Harrogate, Yorkshire, UK

Mission

Halifax B/A.Mk.III LW614

Operational 1944-April-12 to 1944-April-12

432 (B) Sqn (RCAF) RAF East Moor

The crew of Halifax III aircraft LW 614 QO-S were engaged in air to air firing training when it crashed at Deepdale Farm, Langdale End, North Yorkshire, England

Pilot Officer FC Hindmarsh (RCAF), Pilot Officer DG Bell (RCAF), Pilot Officer AK Clarke (RCAF), Pilot Officer TH Woodard (RCAF), Sergeant FE Cranch (RCAF), Sergeant H Halliwell (RAFVR) and passenger Leading Aircraftman DV MacKenzie (RCAF) were all killed in this flying accident

There was one surviving crew member, rear air gunner Sergeant DSM MacNeil (RCAF)

On 1944-04-12, Squadron Leader A. Ross Dawson, the Chief Technical Officer with 1664/1679 HCU at Wombleton, wrote in his diary:

Warning: The following material contains graphic content that may not be suitable for all readers.

"Got news of a crash a/c west of Pickering . . . located it at last, way up in the Moors and what a mess it was. I had a hard time trying to find out what kind of aircraft it was until I found an engine with a DH Hydromatic prop on it and then I knew it was a Halifax MkII, LW 614 -S, from East Moor we found out later. It was still burning when we got there. . . six recovered bodies, all Canadian boys. . .there was still another body in the wreckage but couldn't get it out since he was only in pieces anyway. I've got over being squeamish about such things but I still don't like the smell . . it is really & truly horrible."

Museum Diary of A Ross Dawson, courtesy CWM

Addendum: The crew were engaged in ground to air firing when one of the engines failed. The aircraft went out of control at 50 feet, stalled crashed and burst into flames. Detail provided by David E Thompson, Middlesborough, England

Unvetted Source Halifax LW614

Unvetted Source [Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

Unit Desciption

432 (B) Sqn Saeviter Ad Lucem ("Leaside")

History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Wellington X, Lancaster II, Halifax III, VII)

The Squadron was the twelfth RCAF bomber squadron to be formed overseas in WWII. It was formed on May 1, 1943 at Skipton-on-Swale, Yorkshire, UK as a unit of No 6 (RCAF) Group of RAF Bomber Command: indeed, it was the first bomber squadron to be formed directly into No 6 Group. Using the squadron identification letters QO it flew Vickers Wellington Mk X medium bombers until it moved to East Moor, Yorkshire on 19th September 1943, when it re-equipped with Avro Lancaster Mk II aircraft. East Moor was part of No 62 (RCAF) Base. The squadron re-equipped with Handley Page Halifax Mk III aircraft in February 1944, and with Halifax Mk VII in July of that year, and continued with them until the squadron was disbanded at East Moor on May 15, 1945.

In the course of operations the squadron flew 246 missions, involving 3130 individual sorties, for the loss of 73 aircraft. 8980 tons of bombs were dropped. Awards to squadron members included 2 DSOs, 119 DFCs,1 Bar to DFC, 1 CGM, 20 DFMs and 1 Croix de Guerre (France). Battle Honours were: English Channel and North Sea 1943, Fortress Europe 1943-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1944, Ruhr 1943-45, Berlin 1943-44, German Ports 1943-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine, Biscay 1943.Moyes, Kostenuk and Griffin

Squadron History (Bomber Command Museum PDF)

Maps for Movements of 432 Squadron 1943-45

MAP 1: 432 Squadron Bases 1943-45 (marked in green). Right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab

432 Squadron History Summary 1943-45

History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Canuck)

The squadron was re-formed at Bagotville, Quebec as an All-Weather Fighter unit on 1 October 1954. The squadron flew Avro CF-100 Canuck aircraft on North American Air Defence until it was disbanded on 15 October 1961.