McKechnie, William Neil
Personal Information
Rank | G/C |
Forename(s) | William Neil |
Surname | McKechnie |
Gender | M |
Age | 37 |
Decorations | GC, IGSM |
Date of Death | 30-08-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Lt.-Col. William Ernest McKechnie, I.M.S., and Marion Alice McKechnie (née Curram), of Kasauli, India. Husband of Mary Roma McKechnie (née Doig), of Musselburgh, Midlothian. Father of Fiona McKechnie and David McKechnie. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster III |
Serial Number | JB593 |
Markings | ZN-T Admiral Dumbo |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 200. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 71 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 26144 |
Service | Royal Air Force |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 106 |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Metheringham Airfield Visitors Centre, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | To commemorate the crew of Lancaster JB593 ZN-T shot down by a Nightfighter on 30th August 1944 in the Konigberg area of Germany |
Location | Holy Trinity Church, Martin, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet & Roll of Honour in Wooden Case |
Memorial Text | To the memory of the Airmen of 106 Sqn who gave their lives in the 1939-45 War |
Location | Former Airfield Site, Martin Moor, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Brick moument with inscribed Slate Tablets & Plaques |
Memorial Text | Dedicated to the airmen and airwomen who served on 106 Sqn in WW2. 995 gave their lives |
Miscellaneous Information
McKechnie was the station commander at Metheringham at the time. Born 27 August 1907 in Kasauli, India, he was known as Mac to colleagues and as Neil in his formative years. He was educated at Perse School, Cambridge as a boarder between 1921 and 1923. A memorial to this crew was unveiled at the former RAF metheringham in 2014 |
He originally joined the Royal Navy but then became a Halton Apprentice before moving on to RAF Cranwell. His George Cross, originally awarded as an Empire Gallantry Medal and was remarkable won whilst he was still a Cadet. The citation was published in the Gazette on 18 October 1929 and reads: "Flight Cadet William Neil McKechnie, Royal Air Force. On the 20th June, 1929, an aeroplane piloted by Flight Cadet C. J. Giles crashed on landing at Cranwell Aerodrome and burst into names. The pilot was stunned but managed to release his safety belt and fall out of the machine in a dazed condition. Flight Cadet McKechnie, who had landed in another aeroplane about the same time some two hundred yards away, left his machine and ran at full speed towards the scene of the accident. The petrol had spread over an area of about ten yards diameter in full blaze, with Giles lying in it, semi-conscious. McKechnie, without hesitation, ran into the flames and pulled out Giles, who was badly burned about the legs and face, with his Sidcot suit and clothes actually burning. After dragging him clear of the names, during the process of which he was scorched and superficially burned, McKechnie proceeded to extinguish the flames of Giles' burning clothing. By this time, the machine was in full blaze, with the petrol spreading along the ground so that without McKechnie's assistance, there is no doubt Giles would have been burned to death, as he was quite incapable of moving himself. Ultimately the machine was entirely destroyed by fire and the ground for some distance around was completely burned up by the spread of the ignited petrol. |
Between 1936-1937 he served on the North West Frontier in India, and was promoted to Squadron Leader on 1 August 1938. At the outbreak of WWII he served in the Middle East until 1942, then returning to England. He was promoted to Wing Commander in February 1943, and in July of the same year, was made Temporary Group Captain. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/834/16 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/834/15 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 29-08-1944 |
End Date | 30-08-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Metheringham |
Day/Night Raid | Night (80% moon) |
Operation | Königsberg (modern-day Kaliningrad) |
Reason for Loss | Shot down over Königsberg and exploded on impact. None of the crew's remains were located. |