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| Name | Mackay |
| First names | Alexander John |
| Rank | Pilot Officer (later Wing Commander) |
| Service | RAF |
| Crew position | Air Bombardier |
| Comments | Posted in 8/44 |
| March 1945..... the raid on Bohlen was to be the final operation of a long and testing tour for F/Lt Leslie Hay 'Uncle Will' and his crew | |
| Awarded the DFC and MBE | |
![]() Alexander John Mackay during training in Texas (see text below) |
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![]() P/O Mackay with his brother Donald (Donny) |
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![]() P/O Mackay (Bomb Aimer with the "Uncle Will" crew) |
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| Alexander John Mackay joined
the Home Guard in South England when the Second World War started.
Later he joined the Royal Air Force and was trained as a fighter
pilot in Texas, United States. After a crash he was re-trained as navigator/bomb-aimer in Trentham, Canada. He was then commissioned as Pilot Officer on 19th January 1945. He served as a bomb-aimer in Lancaster bombers (49 Squadron, 'Uncle' Will Hay, Pilot) completing a full tour of duty. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on September 25th, 1945. When the war ended he left the RAF, but was later re-commissioned and served in Palestine (receiving the Palestine Bar to his General Service Medal). On 1st October 1950 he was promoted to Flying Officer and finally became a Wing Commander in 1967. He retired at his own request, due to ill health, on 25th November 1972. |
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Sgt F. Green, Flight Engineer P/O P.W.Smith, Navigator W/O H. Jenkinson, Wireless Operator F/Sgt A.E. French, Mid-upper Gunner P/O A.J. Mackay, Bomb Aimer F/O J.S. Hall, Rear Gunner |
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| Commissioned | 19th January 1945 | Pilot Officer |
| Promotion | 19th July 1945 | Flying Officer |
| Award DFC | 21 September 1945 | |
| Re-commissioned | 28th December 1948 | Pilot Officer |
| Promotion | 1st October 1950 | Flying Officer |
| Promotion | 16 Apr 1953 | Flight Lieutenant |
| Promotion | 1st July 1959 | Squadron Leader |
| Award MBE | 1st January 1964 | |
| Promotion | 1st Jan. 1965 | Wing Commander |
| Retirement | 25th November 1972 |