LEST WE FORGET
Flight Lieutenant Bruce Calder McKENZIE
Service No: 401994
Born: Horsham VIC, 24 May 1920
Enlisted in the RAAF: 26 April 1941
Unit: No. 3 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 3 Squadron Tempest aircraft JA610), Germany, 21 April 1945, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Hamburg Cemetery, Hamburg, Germany
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alexander Keith and Florence McKenzie; husband of Margaret Emily Thelma McKenzie, of Cromer, Norfolk, England
Roll of Honour: Launceston TAS
Remembered: Panel 126, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 21 April 1945 Tempest JA610 flown by Flight Lieutenant McKenzie was detailed to carry out an armed reconnaissance in the Hamburg-Lubeck area. JA610 which was leading a formation of 8 aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire during an attack on motor transport east of Hamburg and the radio was presumably rendered useless as McKenzie was not heard over the radio subsequently. The aircraft was streaming black smoke and climbing slightly to 2,000 feet and his No.2 was obliged to take avoiding action from the anti-aircraft fire and unable to see anything further. A member of the same Squadron stated that the aircraft crashed 10/15 miles east of Hamburg as the formation was attacking transport on the Schwarenbek-Lavenburg road. The crash which was witnessed by a German farmer on whose land the aircraft crashed stated that McKenzie was thrown clear and killed instantly.
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, 166/26/18