Sydney Colin Rive Mackie DFC (1920 - 1943)

Born 26 Aug 1920 in Masterton, New Zealand

Ancestors

Died 20 Dec 1943 at age 23 in Belgium

Biography

Colin Mackie DFC is an Anzac who served in World War Two.

Acting Flight Lieutenant Navigator Sydney Colin Rive (Colin) Mackie 413713 - Royal New Zealand Air Force, 35 Squadron, RAF

Bomber Command No:35 Squadron flew Handley Page Halifax bombers, the Squadron was one the first five squadrons to form the Pathfinder Force created in 1942 to provide more concentrated and effective bombing by marking targets with incendiary bombs and flares dropped from aircraft flown by experienced crews, using the latest navigational equipment.

One night in September 1943, Flight Lieutenant Wright and Pilot Officers Mackie and Matthews were pilot, navigator and air bomber respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack Mannheim in south-western Germany ^[1]

New Zealand Herald 11th October 1943 page 2 ^[2]

TWO N.Z. AIRMEN HONOURED

GOOD WORK IN RAID ON MANNHEIM

Pilot and navigator in a bomber engaged in bombing Mannheim last month, Acting-Flight Lieutenant James Henry Wright, R.N.Z.A.F., and P’lot Officer, Sydney Colin Rive Mackie, R.N.Z.A.F., have been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. :The citation says the operation concerned demanded a high degree of skill and the success achieved reflects the greatest credit on the efforts of these members of the air crew, who executed their task faultlessly. They have taken part in many previous operations and have always displayed courage, determination, and devotion to duty of a high order.

Acting-Flight Lieutenant Wright was born at Masterton in 1920 and educated at the Wairarapa High School. He went overseas in November 1941, and was commissioned in April 1943. His father is Mr F. H. Wright, Masterton.

Pilot-Officer Mackie, who was also born in Masterton, is the son of Mrs. M. I. Mackie of 73 Vauxhall Road, Devonport and is aged 23. He was educated at the Devonport School, Takapuna Grammar School and Auckland Teachers' Training College, and at the time of his enlistment was employed by the Auckland Education Board. Pilot-Officer Mackie entered Levin in July,1941, and left New Zealand in September of the same year for Canada, where he qualified as an observer. On his arrival in Britain he was posted to a bomber crew as navigator and later he was rewarded for good navigating by being transferred to a Lancaster Pathfinder crew. He has flown on operations over Germany, Italy and occupied Europe. He was promoted to a commission last July.

On the 20th of December (HX270) flying a Halifax lll on a bombing raid to Frankfurt (Germany), they were shot down, crashing just to the east of St-Truiden (Limburg) Belgium. The three New Zealanders on board, J.H. Wright, S.C.R. Mackie and T.A. Robson were killed. The other four crew, all British, W. McG Sinclair, H. Matthews, W.R.J. Dingle, and W. Barrington were captured. Colin was 23 years old.

Burial

Heverlee War Cemetery

Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Collective Grave 5 B 20-22

Heverlee War Cemetery was begun in 1946, when war-time burials from the surrounding district were brought to Heverlee for re-burial.

Sources

1. ↑ Fourth Suppliment to the London Gazette 5th October 1943
2. ↑ New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24711, 11 October 1943, Page 2

• N.Z. DEATH REGISTRATION - 1945/56124 - Mackie Sydney Colin Rive aged 23 years
• casualty lists Bomber Squadrons Royal Air Force - 156 squadron
• Royal Air Force Bomber Command No.35 Squadron website temporarily unavailable
• Auckland War Memorial Online Cenotaph
• New Zealand War Graves Project
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission