Sgt Charles MacDonald and Stirling N6011 7 Sqdn

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Ludford101
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Sgt Charles MacDonald and Stirling N6011 7 Sqdn

Post by Ludford101 »

Wondered if anyone had any further information on the crew or circumstances of the loss of this aircraft Stirling N6011 from 7 Squadron and in particular the navigator ?? Sgt C.MacDonald POW the only survivor.
I have the details from Footprints in the Sands of Time, LostB’s and Chorley but not the nightfighter diary entry for their loss…. Shot down by a night-fighter (Fw Karl-Heinz Scherfling, 7./NJG1) and crashed near Lingen, Germany.

The main reason for asking and posting on this site is that I have a hunch that Sgt MacDonald
(A Scotsman) was the first four-engined heavy bomber POW to be taken in Western Europe
……
I have looked through Chorley and can only find two other Stirling crashes prior to the 9th/10th April 1941 and they were in the UK…. I don’t think any Halifaxes had gone down by then and no Manchesters… so as a sole survivor of a crew of seven am I correct in my assumptions ?
Here is a scan back and front of his POW card…
Mac~Barth~POWCARD~sx.jpg
Mac~Barth~POWCARD~sx.jpg (191.24 KiB) Viewed 8801 times
Mac~Barth~POWCARD~2~s.jpg
Mac~Barth~POWCARD~2~s.jpg (165.5 KiB) Viewed 8801 times
no photo unfortunately but other photos came with it and a great wartime drawing of a scene from POW Hut.
The Story behind the model boat is testament to the skill and dedication that these chaps had during what must have been a soul destroying period of captivity.
Model ship~a~s.jpg
Model ship~a~s.jpg (106.52 KiB) Viewed 8801 times
Many Thanks Gary
Last edited by Ludford101 on Tue Nov 11, 2014 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ludford101
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Re: Sgt Charles MacDonald and Stirling N6011 7 Sqdn

Post by Ludford101 »

The back of the postcard....
Model Ship~b~s.jpg
Model Ship~b~s.jpg (146.82 KiB) Viewed 8801 times
and a group photograph taken at Barth...(Charles MacDonald is circled)
Barth~POW#Group.jpg
Barth~POW#Group.jpg (184.71 KiB) Viewed 8801 times
Many thanks
Gary
Last edited by Ludford101 on Tue Nov 11, 2014 3:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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smudgersmith218
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Re: Sgt Charles MacDonald and Stirling N6011 7 Sqdn

Post by smudgersmith218 »

Hi Gary,

Not in a position to help at the moment but thank you for the post, fascinating.

Regards

Steve
No.218 (Gold Coast) Squadron 1918-1945
The Nomads
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K4KittyCrew
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Re: Sgt Charles MacDonald and Stirling N6011 7 Sqdn

Post by K4KittyCrew »

Hi Gary,

I know you can't access 'photobucket' at work but to answer your question, I can only go by what I've heard and seen ............ 'photobucket' allows the user to provide, in full, a complete picture as oppose to a part picture or photo, that then needs the user to scroll down and across to access the frame.

Also, 'photobucket' does not drain the sites' memory / usage like the normal upload process. I remember another forum administrator passing such comments before moving to the 'photobucket' system as a whole, thus deleting the member option to upload the former way.

We here, continue to uphold both systems .......... until further notice.

If any member has any difficulties posting ......... he or she can email me documents / photos to .......... k4kittycrew at gmail .....and I will post them. ( replace 'at' with @ ...... no spaces )
Alternately, other regular members are only too happy to assist.

footnote - I can change over any doco / photo already posted, just ask and I will more than happy to assist.

Cheers,
John
K for Kitty Crew - Winthorpe, 1661 HCU's - stirlingaircraftsoc.raf38group.org/
630 Squadron - East Kirkby
" There is nothing glorious about war with the exception of those who served us so valiantly"
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Ludford101
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Re: Sgt Charles MacDonald and Stirling N6011 7 Sqdn

Post by Ludford101 »

Anyone managed to confirm/dismiss my assumption that Sgt MacDonald was the first four-engined heavy bomber POW of WW2....

Cheers Gary
Last edited by Ludford101 on Tue Nov 11, 2014 3:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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PAFG
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Re: Sgt Charles MacDonald and Stirling N6011 7 Sqdn

Post by PAFG »

Fascinating pictures Gary - the Barth group look very 'present' or 'real', if that makes sense.

Richard
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Re: Sgt Charles MacDonald and Stirling N6011 7 Sqdn

Post by Ludford101 »

Updated this topic as the photo elements have been restored... :D

The cartoon was drawn in Stalag Luft III in 1943....
Bear~Sketch~1943sx.jpg
Bear~Sketch~1943sx.jpg (210 KiB) Viewed 8800 times
Cheers

Gary
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akfinneg
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Re: Sgt Charles MacDonald and Stirling N6011 7 Sqdn

Post by akfinneg »

I am a Military postal history collector, Am i have in my collection a illustrated christmas card sent by Sgt Charles Macdonald home from Stalag Luft I dated 23-12-1941
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Re: Sgt Charles MacDonald and Stirling N6011 7 Sqdn

Post by K4KittyCrew »

Welcome to the forum, 'akfinneg'

We would of course, welcome any details and images you wish to present to the members.
If you need any assistance with posting images, please let me know and we will assist.
Cheers,
John
K for Kitty Crew - Winthorpe, 1661 HCU's - stirlingaircraftsoc.raf38group.org/
630 Squadron - East Kirkby
" There is nothing glorious about war with the exception of those who served us so valiantly"
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Re: Sgt Charles MacDonald and Stirling N6011 7 Sqdn

Post by K4KittyCrew »

Ok, Kieran has sent this two images to me to post on the forum.
Thanks for presenting them, mate.
Cheers,
John
Image
Image
K for Kitty Crew - Winthorpe, 1661 HCU's - stirlingaircraftsoc.raf38group.org/
630 Squadron - East Kirkby
" There is nothing glorious about war with the exception of those who served us so valiantly"
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