Donald Aikins "Don" MacFadyen

Don MacFadyen and his Navigator Bill Wright after receiving their DFCs from the King. July 14 1944

DARING ATTACKS HIGHLY PRAISED

London, March 22.—(CP Cable) —The feat of four R.C.A.F. flyers who ventured 400 miles into enemy-occupied territory to shoot down three enemy aircraft and damage 17 others on the ground was signalized today by a special communiqué issued by Air Marshal L.S. Breadner, commander-in-chief of the R.C.A.F. overseas.
The quartet, who flew in two Mosquito planes of the City of Edmonton squadron, consisted of Flight-Lieut. D. MacFadyen, of Toronto; Flight-Lieut. J. Luma, of Helena, Mont; F.O. C. Finlayson, Victoria, and F.O. J. Wright, of Rosthern, Sask.
There have been few previous occasions when such a small force was the basis of a full-fledged communiqué.
The three planes destroyed were shot down over the Haguenau airfield, about 250 miles east of Paris, and the Luxeuil airfield, 200 miles southeast of Paris.
The intruders also damaged at least five gliders on the ground.

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TWO CANADIANS SET HIGH MARK FELLING PLANES

Ottawa, March 24 (CP). — Two pilots flying with the R.C.A.F.'s City Of Edmonton Intruder Squadron, Flt. Lt. D. MacFadyen of 29 Chestnut Park Rd., Toronto, and Lieut. J. Luma of Helena, Mont., destroyed three German aircraft in the air and left 17 more either flaming or damaged on the ground during an attack deep in Occupied France last Tuesday.
The R.C.A.F. said tonight in its weekend summary of operations that the mark set by MacFadyen and Luma is believed to establish a new record for enemy aircraft bagged by two United Nations crews in a single sortie.
During the week, the R.C.A.F. was active over Germany, Occupied France, Burma, the Anzio Beachhead and Cassino fronts in Italy. Other Canadian pilots accounted for five enemy aircraft.
Frankfurt was hammered Wednesday and Saturday by Lancasters and Halifaxes of the R.C.A.F. bomber group, and Halifax squadrons attacked strategic railway installations in Amiens Thursday,
The operation by transport aircraft and the 3rd Tactical Air Force in North Burma, which placed Allied troops some 200 miles beyond the Japanese, was participated in by Canadians from all parts of the Dominion.
City of Windsor Squadron.
During the bombing of Casino, four pilots of the R.C.A.F.'s City of Windsor Spitfire Squadron broke up a formation of 20 ME-109's which was about to attack one of the Allied bomber formations northwest of the disputed town.
An R.C.A.F. pilot brought down an ME-109 near Rome. Hits were scored on enemy shipping off the Norwegian and French coasts by Beaufighters of a Canadian squadron and R.C.A.F. Albacores of the R.A.F. Coastal Command.
In the Wednesday attack on Frankfurt, the Canadian bomber group struck in full force, and Flt. Lt. Don Paterson of Lynwood, Calgary, said he saw five large fires.
"Fires were visible 150 miles from Frankfurt," said Flt. Sgt. Harry Grayson of London, Ont., a flight engineer. For Wing Cmdr. W. H. Swetman, D.F.C., of Kapuskasing, Ont., leader of the Thunderbird Squadron, it was his 53rd sortie over enemy territory.
Street "With Lights On."
Of Saturday's blow at Frankfurt, FO, L. D. Proctor of Biggar, Sask. said, "It looked like Portage Ave. Winnipeg, “with the lights on."
Halifax squadrons of the R.C.A.F. group paid a return visit to Annens last Thursday to bomb railway objectives, and FO. Jack Barlow of Ottawa, bomb aimer with the Moose Squadron, said it was "the best precision bombing I've seen in a long time—you could even see the bomb bursts going right through the target indicators."
For this raid the Canadian bomber group provided nearly half the force, and many other Canadians flew with R.A.F. formations.
Over Burmese Hills.
In the Southeast Asia war theatre Canadians flew night after night over Burmese hills carrying Gurkha and Indian troops, mules, jeeps and a great quantity of supplies.
Shortly after the landing behind the Japanese rear Flt. Lt. Bob Day of Vancouver shot down a bomb-carrying Zero.
On the Anzio Beachhead Flt, Lt., Bruce Ingalls of Danville, Que., destroyed an enemy fighter near Rome Sunday, and Tuesday PO. S. B. (Red) Ruppert of Winnipeg and FO. J. S. (Blackie) Christie of Montreal and London, Eng., pilot and observer respectively, accounted for a JU-88 bomber during a raid on London.
Sqdn. Ldr. D. J. Williamson of Vancouver, Beaufighter pilot of an R.C.A.F. night fighter squadron, destroyed a Heinkel 177 southwest of Guernsey, in the English Channel, Sunday. His navigator was PO. C. J. Kirkpatrick of Hamilton.
R.C.A.F. Spitfire squadrons of the 2nd Tactical Air Force provided escort for American heavy bombers returning from attacks on industrial targets in Germany.

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MacFADYEN, F/L Donald Aikins (J3103) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.418 Squadron
Award effective 12 May 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and
AFRO 1186/44 dated 2 June 1944.

This officer has participated in many sorties and has destroyed four enemy aircraft and damaged several more. He has displayed great skill and courage throughout his tour and his example of keenness and determination has been most commendable.

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CANADIAN AIRMEN HAD A GREAT WEEK, SUMMARY SHOWS

Ottawa, May 6.— (CP)— Aircraft of the R.C.A.F. bomber group pounded targets in three countries in the last week, while Spitfire and Typhoon fighter-bombers made slashing attacks on pinpoint targets and Canadian airmen participated in combined air-sea operations against enemy naval units, the R.C.A.F. said last night in its weekly summary of overseas operations.
News of the famed City of Edmonton Intruder Squadron took the limelight during the week, with Sqdn. Ldr. Bob Kipp, of Kamloops, B.C., and his navigator, F.O. P. Huletsky, of Montreal, blasting four of Germany's front-line aircraft out of the sky during an offensive patrol deep into the heart of the Reich Wednesday, establishing a new mark for the number of aircraft destroyed in a single night's patrol.
Canadian-built Lancaster heavy bombers made their initial operational appearance during the week. Wednesday other aircraft of the R.C.A.F. bomber group pounded Friedrichshafen in Germany and railway yards at Montzen, Belgium, and Aulmoye, France.
Aulmoye, was the principal R.C.A.F. target for the night, and attracted Canadian-built Lancasters. Halifaxes mined enemy waters meantime and an R.C.A.F., Mosquito about to attack an aircraft as it prepared to land at Crois Demetz airfield in France saw the enemy pilot lose control of his aircraft, ground-loop and burst into flames,
Two R.C.A.F. Spitfires on patrol over northern France Monday attacked a transport flying close to the ground, and saw it crash aflame.
Last Trip Scherf
Sqdn. Ldr. Kipp Brought down four FW190's the next night. Flt. Lt. D. A. MacFadyen, Toronto, and his navigator, F.O. J. Wright, of Rosthern. Sask., destroyed a Bl Heinkel glider tug and damaged a grounded unidentified aircraft.
An Australian pilot, Sqdn.-Ldr. Charles Scherf, D.F.C., now known as "Last Trip" Scherf, came back to the City of Edmonton Squadron for another "last trip," and shot down a JU88 north of Berlin, with F.O. W. Stewart, of Toronto, as his navigator.
F.O. John Caine, of Edmonton, on the same patrol with Scherf, shot down a troop carrier and then, with Scherf, shot up and seriously damaged at least nine other aircraft on ground and water.
Lancasters and Halifaxes smashed at railway yards at St. Chislain, in Belgium. A beached enemy destroyer, driven ashore by the Canadian Tribal-class destroyer Haida Saturday after an engagement off the French coast last Saturday in which her sister ship H.M.C.S. Athabaskan was sunk, was bombed by R.C.A.F. and other pilots.
Lancasters of the Canadian bomber group participated in an attack on Montdidier, France, on Wednesday.

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MacFADYEN, F/L Donald Aikins, DFC (J3103) - Bar to DFC - No.406 Squadron
Award effective 19 April 1945 as per London Gazette dated 27 April 1945 and
AFRO 918/45 dated 1 June 1945.

Since the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross this officer has taken part in many operational sorties. Throughout, his skill and initiative have been of the highest order. He has destroyed at least a further five enemy aircraft bringing his total victories to at least nine hostile aircraft destroyed and many others damaged. In addition he has shot down five flying bombs apart from these successes. Flight Lieutenant MacFadyen has given great assistance to new crews in planning their missions and by his untiring efforts and fine example has materially contributed to the operational efficiency of his squadron.

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Canadian Destroys Two Junkers Planes

London, April 10, 1945 — (CP Cable) — Flight-Lieut. Donald MacFadyen, of Toronto, and Flight-Lieut. Vernal Shail, of New Westminster, B.C., destroyed two Junkers 88s in combat last night near an airfield at Luebeck in northwest Germany.
This brought MacFadyen's total to seven destroyed in the air, five destroyed on the ground, three probables and 16 damaged. Shail as navigator has been with MacFadyen, the pilot, for most of these scores. They fly with the Lynx squadron.
During the week-end another Lynx pilot, Flight-Lieut. D. A. Gillis, of Saint John, N.B., with his navigator, Flight-Lieut. Norman Hamer, of Montreal, destroyed a Heinkel 111, a troop-carrying transport, south of Berlin.

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TORONTO AIRMAN THRICE DECORATED

Ottawa, Oct. 24 (CP).—-The Air Force announced today the names of two Canadian pilots decorated a third time for their gallantry in the second Great War. They are: Sqdn. Ldr. D. A. Macfadyen, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. A. Macfadyen of 29 Chestnut Park Rd., Toronto, who received a DSO to add to the two DFCs he already holds. Flt. Lt. John Todd Caine, son of Mr. and Mrs. H.L. Caine of South Edmonton, Alta., one of Canada's leading fighter pilots with 20 planes to his credit, who now has won, the DFC three times. He will arrive back in Canada on the Queen Elizabeth when she docks at Halifax Oct. 26.
Sqdn. Ldr. Macfadyen's citation said he has destroyed 13 aircraft and damaged 17. In the last weeks of the war he destroyed two planes in one day. He had shown "outstanding keenness, efficiency, courage and determination."
Flt. Lt. Caine's citation said he had destroyed 11 aircraft since the award of the first bar to the DFC. He is a man of "indomitable fearlessness and skill."
In one day in April, 1945, he destroyed one plane and damaged two over Germany and brought home his plane despite damage by anti-aircraft fire.

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MacFADYEN, S/L Donald Aikins, DFC (J3103) - Distinguished Service Order - No.406 Sq.
Award effective 9 October 1945 as per London Gazette of 19 October 1945 and
AFRO 1822/45 dated 7 December 1945.

Since the award of a Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross this officer has continued to operate against the enemy with conspicuous success, destroying three enemy aircraft and damaging five. During a patrol over Czechoslovakia in March 1945, an enemy landing ground was sighted and one enemy aircraft was destroyed on the ground and four were damaged. On another occasion in April 1945, he successfully destroyed two hostile aircraft in the air. Squadron Leader MacFadyen's total victories are at least thirteen enemy aircraft destroyed and seventeen damaged. Throughout his two tours he has displayed outstanding keenness, efficiency, courage and determination and has at all times set a fine example of loyal and devoted service.

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Photos:
PL-26049 shows him from waist up;
PL-42862 shows him beside his Mosquito.
PL-31244 shows him and Nav. F/O Bill Wright

--- Canadian Aces ---