LEST WE FORGET

Flight Sergeant Douglas John MacKENZIE

Service No: 417211
Born: Parkside SA, 18 November 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 31 January 1942
Unit: No. 75 Squadron (RAF), RAF Mepal, Cambridgeshire
Died: Air Operations (No. 75 Squadron Lancaster aircraft ME689), France, 2 May 1944, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Poix-de-Picardie Churchyard, Somme, France
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Walter James Mackenzie and Vera Mackenzie; husband of Mary Elizabeth Mackenzie, of Hackney, South Australia.
Roll of Honour: Unley SA
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide

Lancaster ME689 took off from RAF Mepal at 2244 hours on the night of 1/2nd May 1944, detailed to bomb the railway and storage depot at Chambly, France. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. A report by a Missing Research & Enquiry team stated “the aircraft exploded in the air and crashed at St Arnoult on 2nd May 1944. St Arnoult is about 45 kms south west of Amiens, France.” All the crew members were killed.

The crew members of ME689 were:

Flying Officer Allan Gleave Heron (133094) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Pilot Officer Michael Ferdinand Lombard (171913) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Douglas John MacKenzie (417211) (Wireless Operator Air)
Flight Sergeant Thomas Alexander Peevers (417232) (RNZAF) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Sergeant John Gilbert Pettifer (1247027) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Squadron Leader Euan Wilfred Sachtler (41362) (RNZAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Piers Trevor Stevens (1813627) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/26/439

Book Now Book Now