Donald Wilson McIvor DFC RCAF and crew – 576 Squadron - 1944
Donald McIvor was born April 19th, 1921 and passed away August 18th, 1998
He and his crew were posted to 576 Squadron at RAF Elsham Wolds in February 1944.
According to the 576 ORB Rolph and Reviere were posted from 12 Base at Binbrook. I presume the whole crew came from there and were posted to one of the Squadrons of 12 Base briefly before being moved on to 576.
F/S Donald Wilson McIvor RCAF – Pilot
Sgt Oswald E Mee RAFVR – Flight Engineer
F/O Harold A Rolph RCAF – Air Bomber
F/O H J Riviere RCAF - Navigator
F/S Norman C Stafford RAFVR - Wireless Operator
Sgt J Armstrong RAFVR – Air Gunner
Sgt John S McGinn RAFVR – Air Gunner
McIvor flew his first operation as second pilot on the 25/02/1944 to Augsburg in the crew of P/O AJ Bodger in LL794 and then led his own crew and went on to complete their tour as follows
15/03/1944 - Stuttgart - Point of Aim - LL799 – F/S DW McIvor RCAF
18/03/1944 - Frankfurt - Point of Aim - LL799 – F/S DW McIvor RCAF
22/03/1944 - Frankfurt - Point of Aim - LL748 – F/S DW McIvor RCAF
26/03/1944 - Essen - Point of Aim - LL748 – F/S DW McIvor RCAF
30/03/1944 - Nuremberg - Point of Aim - LL748 – F/S DW McIvor RCAF
18/04/1944 - Rouen - Railway yards - LM532 – F/S DW McIvor RCAF
20/04/1944 - Cologne - Point of Aim - LM532 – F/S DW McIvor RCAF
22/04/1944 - Dusseldorf - Point of Aim - LM532 – F/S DW McIvor RCAF
24/04/1944 - Karlsruhe - Point of Aim - LM532 – F/S DW McIvor RCAF
26/04/1944 - Essen - Point of Aim - LM532 – F/S DW McIvor RCAF
27/04/1944 - Friedrichshafen - Point of Aim - LM532 – F/S DW McIvor RCAF
30/04/1944 - Maintenon - Ammunition dump - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
03/05/1944 - Mailly-le-Camp - Army base - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
07/05/1944 - Rennes St Jacques - Airfield - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
09/05/1944 - Mardyck - Coastal gun batteries - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
11/05/1944 - Hasselt - Railway yards - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
21/05/1944 - Duisburg - Point of Aim - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
22/05/1944 - Dortmund - Point of Aim - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
24/05/1944 - Aachen - Railway yards - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
27/05/1944 - Aachen - Railway yards - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
06/06/1944 - Vire - Railway communications - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
09/06/1944 - Flers - Airfield - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
12/06/1944 - Gelsenkirchen - Oil - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
14/06/1944 - Le Havre - Naval forces – LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
16/06/1944 - Sterkrade - Oil - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
17/06/1944 - Aulnoye - Railway yards - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
22/06/1944 - Mimoyecques - V weapon - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
23/06/1944 - Saintes - Railway yards - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
24/06/1944 - Flers - V weapon - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
27/06/1944 - Chateau Benapre - V weapon - LM532 – P/O DW McIvor RCAF
The crew flew largely unchanged apart from 2 substitutions noted in the 576 ORB.
In addition the ORB shows no early returns.
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McIvor was awarded a DFC on completion of his tour. Citation below :-
“Pilot Officer McIvor has completed thirty operational sorties as captain of a Lancaster bomber. He has attacked heavily defended targets in Germany and in enemy occupied Europe, including Berlin, Stuttgart and Nuremburg, and targets in the Ruhr. Pilot Officer McIvor's commendable courage and devotion to duty has inspired a high standard of morale in his crew and I strongly recommend his for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross."
This was gazetted on the 17th October 1944 and he was invested with award 23 April 1949.
Item compiled by David Fell
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