LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Ian Francis MacRAE
Service No: 428892
Born: Dorrigo NSW, 22 November 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 October 1942
Unit: No. 50 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Skellingthorpe
Died: Air Operations: (No. 50 Squadron Lancaster aircraft NG302), Belgium, 17 December 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerp, Belgium
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Gordon and Alice Mabel Macrae, of Dorrigo, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Dorrigo NSW
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Dorrigo Monument, Dorrigo NSW
At 1612 hours on the night of 17 December 1944 Lancaster NG302 took off from Skellingthorpe detailed to bomb Munich, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was shot down by friendly fire and all of the crew members were killed in the crash.
The crew members of NG302 were:
Flying Officer Leslie William Beer (179985) (RAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant John Capon (1684410) (RAFVR) (Navigator)
Sergeant Cyril Ernest Dunlop (1891534) (RAFVR) (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Albert John Frisby (1527303) (RAFVR) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant William Henry Horton (2210688) (RAFVR) (Mid Upper Gunner)
Pilot Officer Melvin Joshua MacLeod (J/95540) (RCAF) (Air Bomber)
Flight Sergeant Ian Francis MacRae (428892) (Wireless Operator Air)
A RAA Regiment Liaison Officer contacted the Royal Artillery Unit near the scene of the crash and obtained the following written report “the aircraft was apparently flying at about 8000 feet and without either IFF switched on or giving the colours of the period. The aircraft was engaged by AA artillery and hit. Then seconds after the aircraft dived into the ground and immediately exploded. It was estimated that the aircraft was carrying at least one 4000 lb (pound, (1800 kg)) bomb or larger.”
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 Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/26/712
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line