Personnel Index - Detail
Awarded the DFC and MBE.
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.
Alexander John Mackay during training in Texas (see text below).
P/O Mackay with his brother Donald (Donny).
P/O Mackay (Bomb Aimer with the "Uncle Will" crew).
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.
F/O L.J. Hay, Pilot
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