Donald Murdo MacKenzie

Don MacKenzie relaxes in the chair while Bob Snowdon reads the paper in back and F/O G.T. Edwards shows "Skeeter" to the camera.
Don MacKenzie relaxes in the chair while Bob Snowdon reads the paper in back and
F/O G.T. Edwards shows "Skeeter" to the camera.

RCAF    F/O     -     DFC

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MacKENZIE, F/O Donald Murdo (J19197) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.410 Sq.
Award effective 19 February 1945 as per London Gazette dated 27 February 1945 and
AFRO 625/45 dated 13 April 1945.

Now on his second tour of duty this officer has taken part in a large number of operational sorties. He has throughout displayed great skill and determination which, coupled with his fine fighting spirit, have set a splendid example to all. He has destroyed at least three enemy aircraft, four locomotives and two barges.

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Born at Port Stanley, Ontario, 6 May 1921.
Enlisted in London, Ontario, 12 September 1940.
Trained at
No.2 ITS (graduated 16 December 1940),
No.2 EFTS (graduated 28 May 1941) and
No.10 SFTS (graduated 8 August 1941);
Awarded wings on 8 August 1941.
Arrived in UK, 2 September 1941.
With
No.141 Squadron, November 1941 to March 1942;
No.410 Squadron April 1942 to May 1943.
After a non-operational tour and leave in Canada
Rejoined
No.410 Squadron (7 March 1944 to 27 April 1945.
Commissioned 29 November 1943;
released 28 September 1945.
DFC presented 19 February 1946.

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Air Awards

Ottawa, Feb. 27, 1945 - (CP) - Air Force Headquarters announced today the award of the bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross to three members of the RCAF serving overseas and the DFC to three others. Ontario recipients:

Bar to the DFC:
F/L W.J. Banks, 88 Hanna Rd., Leaside
F/L C.W. Fox, Dunnville
DFC:
S/L H.O. Gooding, Ottawa
F/O D.M. MacKenzie, London

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Victories Include :

29/30 July 1944
30 Nov/1 Dec'44    
23/24 Dec 1944

 one Ju.88
one Ju.88G
two Ju.88s      		destroyed
destroyed
destroyed    		[Bodard as NAV]
[Bodard as NAV]
[Bodard as NAV]

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

George Bodard
George Philip Alcide Bodard

RCAF   F/O   -  DFC

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RCAF AWARDS

Ottawa, Jan. 22, 1945 - (CP) - Air Force Headquarters announced tonight the award of one Distinguished Service Order and 15 Distinguished Flying Crosses to members of the RCAF serving overseas.
The recipients include :
D.S.O.
S/L O.C. Kallio, DFC, of Ironwood, Mich.
D.F.C.
W/C L.H. Randall, Bristol, N.B.; F/L D.W. Banting, Fort San, Sask.; F/L R.E. Coffey, Greenview, Ill.; F/L H.A. Crawford of Edmonton; F/L H.A. Dean, Vero Beach, Fla,; F/L J.E. Hogg of Dartmouth, N.S.; F/L H.R. Hunter of Strathcona, P.E.I.; F/L G.F. Mercer of 77 Church St., St. Marys; F/L L.W. Metcalfe of 50 Scott St., St. Thomas; F/L J.M. Portz, Weyburn, Sask.; F/O G.P.A. Bodard, Lethbridge, Alta.; F/O C.L. Burgess of Fredericton; F/O A.R. Lehman of 307 Niagara St., Welland; P/O A.D. Fraser of Winnipeg & F/O J.P. Jessee of Vancouver.

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Home in Manville, Alberta;
enlisted Edmonton 2 February 1942.
Trained at
No.4 ITS (graduated 17 July 1942) and
No.2 AOS (graduated 6 November 1942).

Award presented 27 May 1950.

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BODARD, F/O George Philip Alcide (J86079) - DFC - No.410 Sq.
Award effective 13 Jan.'45 as per London Gazette dated 23 Jan.'45 &
AFRO 471/45 dated 16 March 1945.

In February 1944, Flying Officer Bodard was navigator of an aircraft which intercepted enemy aircraft over the North Sea. As a result of skilful navigation on his part the pilot was enabled to shoot down two of the enemy aircraft after a prolonged pursuit. In June 1944, while on patrol in the Aachen area, this officer skilfully directed his pilot in a long chase of a German night fighter which was finally destroyed. He has destroyed four enemy aircraft. Flying Officer Bodard's skill and ability have been an example to the squadron.

NOTE: Public Records Office Air 2/9043 has recommendation (undated but circa 2 December 1944) when he had flown 61 sorties (144 operational hours):

On the night of February 22/23, 1944, Pilot Officer Bodard was navigator to Squadron Leader Anderson when a raid was intercepted over the North Sea coming for London. They were put onto this raid and followed their first aircraft through quite violent evasive action on the A.I. [radar] before getting in to obtain a visual and ultimately a kill. The pilot was brought onto their second aircraft, got a visual but lost it through violent evasive [action]. The observer held the contact, however, and another visual was obtained and the aircraft was shot out of the air. On the night of July 30th, 1944, Pilot Officer Bodard was flying with Flying Officer MacKenzie over the beachhead in France. This time contact was obtained and the aircraft show down. Again on November 30th, 1944, while patrolling under GCI "Rejoice" in the Aachen-Eckelenz area, Pilot Officer Bodard and Flying Officer MacKenzie were vectored onto what turned out to be a German night fighter apparently under their own GCI control. A long chase resulted in which both aircraft tried to get on each other's tail. The aircraft was eventually shot down.

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Bodard was also involved with the following Victories:

22/23 Feb. 1944    
- 		one Ju.88
one Ju.188     		&
destroyed    
F/L Cliff Anderson as pilot

--- Canadian Aces ---

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On these pages I use info from the Air force Association of Canada's web site
in Hugh Halliday's excellent Honors & Awards section,
Newspaper articles via the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation (CMCC)
as well as other sources both published and private

 

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