Distinguished Flying Cross : Flight Lieutenant D K McDonald, RAAF, 261 Squadron RAF

Distinguished Flying Cross (Geo VI). Engraved reverse with year of award.

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 and Halifax, 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. The citation reads: 'For the past ten months this officer has been actively engaged on operations against the Japanese, and, apart from numerous interceptions and escort flights, has completed 50 operational missions. These sorties have included long distance intruder patrols by night and low level attacks on heavily defended airfields, entailing long low level flights over enemy territory in the face of active fighter opposition. He has always led his flight with exceptional courage and determination.' 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. 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'. McDonald was discharged from Headquarters RAF Base Calcutta on 10 December 1945. He died in 1968.