John Russell Mackinnon

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from Pete Colley, Curator, Wickenby Museum. Photos source: Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Canada.

Remembering John Russell Mackinnon, aged 20, Sgt air gunner, Royal Canadian Air Force, the son of Hugh & Elizabeth MacKinnon (nee Campbell). He was born on 19th May 1924 in French Road, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He had five brothers and five sisters, one of whom was a half-sister. Both his parents had died, his father in April 1942 and his mother in February 1943 and three of his sisters had also died, 2 of whom when young.

He went to school in French Road from 1931 until 1940 and then found employment as a moulder at the Drosco Steel Company, Sydney, Nova Scotia until he joined up on the 25th January 1943. He was 5ft 8in tall with brown hair and blue eyes and enjoyed reading and occasionally did some boxing.

After enlisting he first trained at No 1 Y Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia before embarking for the UK on the 14th December 1943. He arrived at 3PRC on 22nd December 1943 and then went to 83 OTU on 1st February 1944, 11 Base on the 8th May and 12 Squadron on the 30th June 1944.

He was killed on his first mission attacking the railway lines and marshalling yards at Courtrai. In a letter to his sister, Margaret MacKinnon, his squadron commander, Wing Commander J D Nelson, wrote "Sergeant Mackinnon was one of my most experienced Air Gunners, and I had the greatest admiration for his skill, courage and devotion to duty. All officers of the Squadron wish to add their sumpathies to my own"

Attempts were made by the RCAF Casualties branch to find his aircraft but in 1952 his sister received a letter to say their efforts were unsuccessful.