Operation: Rhubarb

Date: 1st April 1943 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 414 Squadron RCAF

Type: Mustang I

Serial: AG525

Base: RAF Dunsfold.

Location: Near St. Pierre, France

Pilot: F/O. Raymond Charles MacQuoid J/5801 RCAF Age 25. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Information kindly supplied by Mr. Jason curry, relative of Ray MacQuoid.

The W/Cmdr. of 414 squadron wrote to the parents of Raymond explaining how he died:

'He was part of a sortie of two planes and was pulling up into a dive to attack an anti-aircraft gun when fire from the ground hit the ammunition box in his wing and actually blew the whole wing from the plane. He was only flying at 300-400 ft. and his plane spun into the ground immediately.'

This extract from a book called The RCAF Overseas; the First Four Years, 1944"

'The train-busting campaign continued into the early part of April. On the morning of the 1st, Hutchinson and Doherty, from Begg's squadron, swept along the French coast from Fecamp to Dieppe, shooting up two power lines and riddling two freight engines. 

Later that afternoon, another ground-strafing team crossed to the same area. Ten miles inland, as the pilots were looking for targets to attack, one of the Mustangs was hit by flak and crashed. The pilot, F/O. MacQuoid, is presumed to have been killed. He had been an outstanding member of his squadron and was one of the two pilots in the unit mentioned in dispatches in January 1943. 

He was also a hero of Dieppe on Aug 19, 1942. His commanding officer recommended him for the Croix de Guerre for taking out 3 anti-aircraft guns and an RDF station before getting jumped by 4 ME 109’s. He flew back to Croydon with no hydraulics and crash landed with no wheels and shrapnel in his left thigh.'  

F/O. Raymond Charles MacQuoid. Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery. Hautot-Sur-Mer. Grave H.34. (Family grave shown below) Further information: Born on April 11th 1918. Raymond was a 1935 graduate of Charlotte Country Grammar School.  Enlisted in RCAF in 1940. Trained on Tiger Moths, Harvards, Lysanders, and Tomahawks at Sea Island, Vancouver. First transport ship to Europe, 'Aurania', hit an iceberg and sank in July, 1941. Put on the 'Ascania' after returning to Canada. Suffered an air-screw failure on January 21, 1942 and had to make an emergency landing at Gatwick Airport. Flew a P-51 Mustang beginning on June 17, 1942.  

Active at Dieppe, Aug 19, 1942. "Intense light flak. Shot up and silenced German A.A. guns, damaged an RDF station and caused several casualties. Hit in port wing, lost hydraulics, attacked by four 109’s, got back and landed on one wheel. Hit in left thigh by flak and spent 3 days in the 14th Canadian Hospital." (direct quote from his log book) Raymond McQuoid was named for two of his uncles, both of whom were killed in the First World War before Raymond's birth. PFC Charles MacQuoid was killed in June, 1916 and Fraser Raymond MacQuoid was killed July, 1917.  

With thanks to Mr Christopher Clarke in Canada and also the daughter of George Burroughs, Brenda, for the supply of information and photographs. Also thanks to the relative of the pilot Mr. Jason Curry who had contacted Aircrew Remembered with further information. We are pleased that we have also been able to put Christopher Clarke and Brenda in contact with him. Fred Paradie - 'Paradie Archive'. CWGC.

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