McKay, Robert James
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Robert James |
Surname | McKay |
Gender | M |
Age | 23 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 20-02-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Charles McKay and Evangeline Martha McKay (née Davis) of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
Serial Number | HX230 |
Markings | BM-P |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 6. J. 20. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 209 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/86595 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 433 (Porcupine) |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Miscellaneous Information
Robert was born at Hamilton, Ontario on 29 August 1920. His father worked as a printer and both parents were born in Hamilton. He had a brother Don Charles and one sister Constance Patricia Joan. The schools he attended were Cunningham Public 1925-1933 and Central Commerce 1933-1938 where he studied Bookkeeping. Robert then took a course in stenography at Canada Business College, Hamilton, July- October 1938. He was in the Boy Scouts for several years and his sport interests were rowing and tennis. Robert worked as a clerk/stenographer at Ronda Gold Mine 1938-1939, and then as an Invoice Clerk at Balfours Ltd 1939-1940. Between April and June1940 he worked as Junior clerk for Crown Domestic Oil Company. |
He enlisted on 15 June 1940 and after training embarked from New York on 9 March 1943 arriving in the U.K. at 3PRC on 18 March 1943. He then continued to 3 (P)AFU on 18 May 1943, 24 OTU on 27 July 1943, 1659 CU 9 November 1943 and 433 Squadron on 9 December 1943. Robert sadly lost his life on 20 February 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1862/4 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1862/3 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 19-02-1944 |
End Date | 20-02-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Skipton on Swale |
Day/Night Raid | Night (22% moon) |
Operation | Leipzig. 823 aircraft, 78 losses (9.5%). Excluding early returners, the Halifax loss rate was 14.9%. As a result, Halifax Mks II and V were permanently withdrawn from service over Germany. The Kiel mine laying diversion was successful in drawing off fighters, but the German controllers only sent half of the available aircraft. As soon as the bomber stream crossed the Dutch coast they were confronted by the remaining half of the fighters and, moreover, the ones sent to Kiel were returned to join the fray. As a consequence, the fighters steadily picked off bombers all the way to this distant target. The winds were strongly than had been predicted and many bombers arrived early and had to orbit the target awaiting the Pathfinders, further increasing the likelihood of being picked off, either by flak or fighters. Leipzig was cloud covered and sky-marking had to be used. Early bombing appeared to be concentrated but later bombing less so. There was no local report nor a reconnaissance flight the following day. An American raid the following day then made it impossible to judge the effectiveness of the raid. |
Reason for Loss |