Archive Report: Allied Forces

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27.04.1942 97 Squadron Lancaster I L7572 OF-L Flt.Lt. Mackid DFC

Operation: Tirpitz

Date: 27th April 1942 (Monday)

Unit: 97 Squadron

Type: Lancaster I

Serial: L7572

Code: OF-L

Base: RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland

Location: Kaldadammen, Norway

Pilot: Flt.Lt. John Goodsir Mackid DFC. 14042 RAF Age 28. Killed

Pilot 2: Plt.Off. Ronald Benjamin Underwood 104507 RAFVR Age 31. Killed

Nav: Plt.Off. Thomas Neville Tree 104537 RAFVR Age ? Killed

Air Gnr (front): Sgt. Eric McDermott 990443 RAFVR Age 25. Killed

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. William Keay Falconer Marshall 1375102 RAFVR Age 26. Killed

Air Gnr (Tail): Sgt. Frederick Bennett 615915 RAF Age 22. Killed

Air Gnr (Mid): Sgt. Raymond Day 628069 RAF Age 20. Killed

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REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off from Lossiemouth. Hit by flak and crashed in the vicinity of Kaldadammen-Austvannet-Skjellstadmark-Trondeleg, Norway. Flt.Lt Mackid was a Canadian serving in the RAF and was a pre-war graduate from the University of Washington.

No further details are known of this loss and we would be very interested in hearing from any relatives / friends who are able to assist with this research.

Seated (left to right) Sgt Henley, Fg.Off. Mackid, Fg.Off. Hallows, Plt.Off. Pickering, Fg.Off. Rodley, Unknown. Standing (left to right): 1st: Sgt Cutting, 4th: Sgt. Cummings, 5th: tentatively identified as Sgt. Marshall, others unknown.

Sgt. Frederick Bennett rear row, 2nd from right

Sgt. Frederick Bennett on extreme left - can you name the others?

Details of Flt.Lt. John Goodsir Mackid DFC. Awarded London Gazette dated 23 January 1942. Born in Calgary, 1914, educated in Victoria, University of Alberta and University of Washington, specialising in aeronautical engineering. Appointed Acting Pilot Officer on Probation, RAF, 20 August 1938, served as flying instructor. RAF Quarterly (June 1942) has citation (with Sqn.Ldr. John Seymour Sherwood, awarded Bar to DFC): Name John Goodsir Mackid, Missing in action, 27 April 1942. Air Ministry Bulletin 6124 refers.

In December 1941, Squadron Leader Sherwood and Flight Lieutenant Mackid participated as leaders of formations of aircraft in a daylight attack on the battle cruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst at Brest. Extremely heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire and opposition from enemy fighters was encountered, but although Squadron Leader Sherwood's aircraft was hit several times by shell fire he skilfully kept his formatioon together and finally an accurate run was made over the target.

Flight Lieutenant Mackid admirably supported Squadron Leader Sherwood and pressed home a successful attack with great determination. Throughout the operation, which demanded a high degree of skill and courage, both these officers played a conspicuous part and contributed materially to the success obtained.

Michael Harrison has also contributed to this loss article in that it is known that the aircraft reached the target area during the first phase of the attack. Eyewitnesses watched as the aircraft was totally engulfed in flames and crashed. A memorial stone (shown above) stands close to where the aircraft crashed and has all the names of the crew carved on it as well as the crew of a Halifax W1020 TL-K from 35 squadron which also crashed near the same spot on the same night.

Burial Details:

Flt.Lt. John Goodsir Mackid DFC. Trondheim (Stavne) War Cemetery A IV. British. J.3. Born in 1914 in Alberta, Canada. Son to Ludwig Stewart and Ada Eugina (née Hammond) Mackid, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Grave inscription reads: "Constant - True; Death Does Not Rob Memory Of A Loving Son And A True Friend".

Plt.Off. Ronald Benjamin Underwood. Trondheim (Stavne) War Cemetery Joint grave, A IV. British. H.2. Son of Thomas William and Lavinia Underwood, husband of Alvey Marjorie Winford Underwood, of Old Coulsdon, Surrey, England. Grave inscription reads: "Crowned For Valour Our Bravest And Best In High Valhalla Have Found Rest".

Plt.Off. Thomas Neville Tree. (shown above) Trondheim (Stavne) War Cemetery A IV. British. J.1. Son of Charles and Mrs. Tree of Kendrick Court, Reading, Berkshire and husband of Margaret Tree (née Clarke) of Fiddlers Furze, Virginia Water, Surrey, England.

Sgt. Eric McDermott. Trondheim (Stavne) War Cemetery Joint grave, A IV. British. J.3. Son of George and Charlotte McDermott, of Blackpool, Lancashire, England. Grave inscription reads: "His Hands Are Set To Higher Tasks Midst Fair And Lovelier Scenes".

Left: Air Gunner Sgt. Raymond Day

Sgt. William Keay Falconer Marshall. Trondheim (Stavne) War Cemetery A IV. British. H.1. Born on the 5th September 1915. Son of John Albert and Maud Barbara Bryce Marshall, of Edinburgh, Scotland. Brother of Margaret Maud Marshall and Robert Hugh Campbell Osborne Marshall. Grave inscription reads: "Younger Son Of John Albert Marshall, Kinross, Scotland".

Sgt. Frederick Bennett. Trondheim (Stavne) War Cemetery A IV. British. H.3. Born in 1919, the son of Rebecca and Frederick Bennett of St. Pancras, London, England.

Sgt. Raymond Day. Trondheim (Stavne) War Cemetery A IV. British. J.6. Son of William and Mary Day, of Beswick, Yorkshire, England. Grave inscription reads: "Just A Token True And Tender Just To Show We Still Remember".

With thanks to David Blackburn, nephew of Sgt. Bennett who contacted us in November 2015 with additional information. Also to John Snowdon who contributed information and photograph of Plt.Off. Neville Tree - May 2018. Thanks to Angela O'Sullivan, whose father was the 2nd Cousin of Sgt. Marshall, for updated details.

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