Squadron Leader Donald Kewin McDonald (DSO, DFC) - Course 28

(Photo: July 30, 1941 - Group Captain Roy S. Grandy, O.B.E., officer commanding No. 1 SFTS Camp Borden, is shown pinning wings on the tunic of Sergeant Pilot Donald McDonald, Sydney, N.S.W., who topped the class.) Donald Kewin McDonald was born at Roma, Queensland on 31 December 1916. He worked as an automotive technician in Sydney, and also served in the militia with 1 Light Tank Company from 1938. He was discharged from this unit to enlist in the RAAF on 14 October 1940, with the service number 402748. After undertaking initial training at Narromine and Bradfield Park, McDonald was sent to undertake pilot training in Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme. He arrived in Canada on 1 May 1941, and after training at Camp Borden graduated as a pilot officer and gained his pilot's wings on 30 July. McDonald was sent to undertake further officer training in England before being posted to 130 Squadron RAF as a Spitfire pilot between October and December 1941. His height, 6 foot 3 inches, proved a problem in the restricted space of a Spitfire cockpit and McDonald undertook training on larger Hurricane aircraft before being posted, with the rank of flying officer, to 30 Squadron RAF in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in February 1942. In April 1943 he transferred to 135 Squadron RAF, based at Chittagong in Burma. Promoted to flight lieutenant in July, McDonald transferred to 261 Squadron RAF, also in Burma, where he remained until April 1944. For his work with this squadron he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

(Photo: Flight Lieutenant McDonald (centre) describes the installation of a 500lb bomb beneath the mainplane of a Thunderbolt fighter aircraft to Air Marshal Sir Guy Garrod KCB OBE MC DFC. Sqn Ldr McDonald is the Commanding Officer of No. 261 (Thunderbolt) Squadron RAF which operates from a base in the Arakan to attack Japanese lines of communication, military installations and forward enemy positions in Burma.) In May 1944 Mc Donald transferred again, to 134 Squadron RAF, flying P47 Thunderbolts in India and Burma. He commanded the squadron from the beginning of 1945, when he was promoted to squadron leader, and became one of the few members of the RAAF to command a British squadron. For his leadership he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. The citation reads: 'Squadron Leader McDonald has been engaged in air operations in the far eastern theatre of war since the fall of Singapore. For a considerable period he has commanded his present squadron which he has maintained at a high level of efficiency. During the advance of the Fourteenth Army he has led his squadron continuously on close support operations achieving brilliant results in the Mandalay and Rangoon phase of the campaign. Although suffering many handicaps during this period, arising from the difficult nature of the terrain and adverse weather which was frequently encountered, the squadron has achieved great success much of which can be ascribed to the enthusiasm, courage and ability of Squadron Leader McDonald'. A personal assessment of McDonald at the time noted that he was 'an officer of very strong character, balanced judgement and much common sense - whose determination amounts at times to pigheadedness. This officer has high standards of his own in his spheres of interest and he insists upon similar standards from his juniors'. During one raid over Ramaree Island, on 22 January 1945, McDonald led his squadron at dock level as the Thunderbolts strafed and bombed the beaches prior to the Allied landings. Liberator aircraft from another squadron also took part in the operation. McDonald later wrote: 'I've never seen a more frightening thing before in my life...I was flying beneath the Liberators when I saw the bomb doors open and stick after stick of bombs come down. They smothered the entire target...I was so close I could hear the bombs exploding.' McDonald was discharged from Headquarters RAF Base Calcutta on 10 December 1945. He died in 1968.

(Photo: Ratnapalong, Arakan, Burma. 1944-12-06. Seated on the mainplane of a Thunderbolt aircraft, RAAF members of No. 134 (Thunderbolt) Squadron RAF operating in the Arakan against Japanese positions in Burma. Left to right: 412521 Warrant Officer (WO) Neil Godfrey of Coogee, NSW; 413358 WO P. H. Cuthbertson of Rockdale, NSW; 414671 WO Francis Harrison Gould of Hamilton, Qld; 403731 Flight Lieutenant James Edwin Franks of Kogarah, NSW (holding dog, Patch); Squadron Leader D. K. McDonald DFC of Randwick, NSW (standing).Franks (Co. 36) and Gould (Co. 64) also trained at Camp Borden. Photos and information: AWM)

(Photo: Ratnapalong, Arakan, Burma. 1944-12-06. Squadron Leader D. K. McDonald DFC of Randwick, NSW, a RAAF member of No. 134 (Thunderbolt) Squadron RAF operating over the Burma front, seated on the mainplane of his Thunderbolt fighter aircraft with his dog, 'Patch'.)