LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Peter McDONALD
Service No: 404687
Born: Ipswich QLD, 9 January 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 8 November 1940
Unit: No. 607 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 607 Squadron Hurricane aircraft HV781), Myanmar, 11 March 1943, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Taukkyan War Cemetery, Myanmar
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Duncan and Enid Maud Macdonald; husband of Orme Marsh Macdonald, of Boonah, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Peachester QLD
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 0603 hours on 11 March 1943, Hurricane HV781 flown by Flying Officer McDonald with Sergeant Peters as his No. 2 took off from Mingaladon on a Rhubarb operation to the Yenangyat/Singhy area. The target was reached and oil derricks, a launch and jetties were attacked. A20 foot chimney was noticed and the aircraft attacked this, flying in line astern. After one of his attacks, the No. 2 noticed that HV781 had disappeared from view. No. 2 orbited the area from zero to 12,000 feet for some 10 minutes, but failed to see anything of his No 1, and he then returned to Base, arriving at 0920 hours. No anti-aircraft fire or enemy opposition was encountered on the mission.
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, 166/26/49