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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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269 crest
27th December 1939 269 Squadron Anson I K6286 P/O. Macdonald

Operation: Patrol

Date: 27th December 1939 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 269 Squadron. Coastal Command (motto Omnia videmus - 'We see all things')

Type: Anson I

Serial: K6286

Code: UA-E

Base: RAF Wick, Caithness, Scotland

Location: North Sea, East of Orkneys

Pilot: P/O. Angus Joseph Macdonald 36176 RAF Age 25. Missing - believed killed

Obs: P/O. James Bennion Beer 41364 RAF Age ? Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: AC.1. Thomas Finnigan 547574 RAF Age 19. Missing - believed killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: AC.2. William Thomas Lowey 619235 RAF Age 20. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

The squadron was transferred to RAF Wick on the 10th October 1939, and executed aerial attacks against surfaced German U-boats.

K6286 took off at 10:26hrs on a routine patrol covering the south of the Orkneys. During the patrol they called signalling that the starboard engine had failed.

Nothing further was heard and it is believed they ditched east of the Orkneys. The bodies of the crew were not knowingly recovered.

Burial details:

P/O. Angus Joseph Macdonald. Runnymede Memorial Panel 1. Born on the 24th December 1914 at Grey Lynn, Auckland. Teacher at Newton West School prior to service. Son of John and May Margaret Head (née Quarterman)of Westmere, Auckland, New Zealand. (note; his birth certificate records him as Angus Macdonald Head) A total of 371 flying hours logged and completed 41 operational sorties.

P/O. James Bennion Beer. Runnymede Memorial Panel 1. No further details - are you able to assist?

AC.1. Thomas Finnigan. Runnymede Memorial Panel 2. Son of Hugh and Mary Finnigan, of Glasgow, Scotland.

AC.2. William Thomas Lowey. Runnymede Memorial Panel 3. Son of William and Elsie Ada Lowey, of Hull and husband of Olive Lowey, of Hull, England.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Ian Banks, Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 20-01-2021

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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