Lt. IC MacDonnell KIA 2 July 1916 - The Sky their Battlefield

[Regulus 1]

Hi,

I ran into the loss of 2654 a BE2c from 9 Sqdn, killing both crew members. 2nd Lt. Hugh Albert Williamson is remembered on the Arras Flying Services Memorial, but I could find no trace of MacDonnell in the records of the CWGC.

Is it possible that he survived or that he was forgotten to mention on the Memorial ?

Thanks !

Johan

[tipperary]

2nd Lt. Hugh Albert Williamson is listed as 34 Squadron on CWGC cant find any trace of MacDonnell.john

[fetubi]

Johan,

Canadian Ian Cameron MacDonnell is listed as being on the Arras Memorial, with no known grave (source Airmen Died in the Great War by Chris Hobson). He is listed in The Roll of Honour of the RFC and RAF. The Casualty Report details are as per my entry in The Sky Their Battlefield, noting they both were killed. I've since established that airmen from both 9 Sqn and 24 Sqn saw this aircraft go down out of control in flames, with extremely unlikely chance that either airman could have survived. It looks like the CWGC has got an error in its files.

I think I might email them...

Regards,

Trevor

[Regulus 1]

Trevor,

Thank you very much for the additional information ! I think it may a good idea to let the CWGC know about it !

John, Also my thanks !

Best regards,

Johan

[Regulus 1]

Trevor,

This may be of interest to you, a little quote from my upcoming book. Thanks to the late Rick Duiven, a much missed and good friend, I got a large amount of his Jasta datafiles in word files. Lt. MacDonnell was probably the victim of Kirmaier. I think Mulzer's victory that day was on FE2b from 11 Sqdn as the hour roughly corresponds which was approx 14.00 hours. Perhaps you know more about this ?

This is the quote :

On the 2nd of July, it was Mulzer’s turn again. His 7th already at Miraumont on a British BE2c (?) around 14.00 hours. I know most sources say this was 2654 from 9 Sqdn, but the time does not correspond. It is more likely to be 11 Sqdn’s FE2b 6357 who was attacked by two enemy planes, making a POW of both crew members, 2nd Lt. JW Toone and 2nd Lt. EB Harvey.

The plane 2654 from 9 Sqdn is most probably the victim of Stefan Kirmaier. However Kirmaier is said to have been stationed at KEK Jametz at this moment, which is, in any case, much to far away to have been flying with this unit. As we do not know with which unit he served at this moment, we will mention his victory here.

It was crewed by Lt Ian Cameron MacDonnell and 2nd Lt. Hugh Albert Wiliamson who were both kiled in the crash of their plane.

Williamson was 29, his body was never found and he is remembered on the Arras Flying Services Memorial. He was the son of Mrs. MA Williamson of Irlam View, Broad Road, Sale, Cheshire, and the late Hugh Williamson.

We could find no information what so ever on MacDonnell, so the question was if he didn’t survive and became a POW. However Trevor Henshaw was so kind to confirm that Lt. MacDonnell was killed indeed and is listed as being on the Arras Memorial, with no known grave (source Airmen Died in the Great War by Chris Hobson). He is listed in The Roll of Honour of the RFC and RAF. The plane was seen going down in flames crashing to earth.

[ProspectRoad2021]

Hi, a bit late but he is listed on the CWGC under the name of Macdonell (one 'n'). Details below:

MACDONELL, IAN CAMERON

Rank: Lieutenant

Date of Death: 02/07/1916

Age: 21

Regiment/Service: Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) and 9th Sqdn. Royal Flying Corps

Memorial: ARRAS FLYING SERVICES MEMORIAL

Additional Information: Son of Lt. Gen. Sir Archibald Cameron Macdonell, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., and Lady Macdonell, of 3026, Six "A" Street West., Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3077396/MACDONELL,%20IAN%20CAMERON

Edited 3 September , 2014 by ProspectRoad2021

[josquin]

Johan,

Pete is correct--the Royal Aero Club Certificate, census records, and his Canadian Expeditionary Forces record all list "Macdonell" rather

than the double n surname. His MIC states "Ian Cameron MacDonell," Lord Strathcona's Horse (Lieutenant) and RFC (Pilot Officer

WO 372/12/21822 at the National Archives, Kew. CWGC was right about this, after all.

Best regards,

Trelawney