Captain Ian Donald Roy McDonald (9 September 1898 – 22 September 1920) was a British World War I

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

credited with 20 aerial victories. Although born in the British West Indies, he returned to England to serve in the air force. After his successful career in combat, he spent a short time at home before returning to the colours. He served in Iraq postwar, and was executed there by insurgents.

Early life

Although McDonald was born in the Caribbean, he was a British citizen. His father was a legislator.Shores ''et.al.'' (1990), p.270.

World War I service

The younger McDonald joined the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

in 1916 and became a fighter pilot. On 26 April 1917, he was appointed a flying officer with the rank of temporary

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

. He was first assigned to 39 (Home Defence) Squadron. From there, he transferred to A Flight, 24 Squadron on 11 July 1917. Flying an

Airco DH.5 The Airco DH.5 was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft. It was designed and manufactured at British aviation company Airco. Development was led by aircraft designer Geoffrey de Havilland as a replacement for the obs ...

, he scored his first three victories between 30 November and 10 December 1917. Then the squadron upgraded to

Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5 The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 is a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory by a team consisting of Henry Folland, John Kenworthy and Major Frank Goodden. It was one of the fast ...

as. McDonald began to score with his new machine; his second victory on 26 February 1918, shared with Ronald T. Mark, Herbert Richardson, and three other pilots, made McDonald an ace. McDonald missed scoring in March, but was appointed as a flight commander with the rank of temporary captain on the 15th. He tallied six wins in April, four in May, and three in the first week in June. Then, on 17 June, teaming with

Horace Barton Captain Horace Dale Barton (22 November 1891 – 25 May 1975) was a World War I flying ace credited with 19 aerial victories. He originally spent 1914–1916 with the army in German Southwest and East Africa. He then joined the Royal Flying Corp ...

George Owen Johnson Air Marshal George Owen Johnson CB, MC (January 24, 1896 – March 28, 1980) was a Canadian aviator, World War I Flying Ace and a senior commander in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. Military career World War I service Born ...

, and C. E. Walton, he forced down into captivity one of Germany's leading aces,

Kurt Wüsthoff Leutnant Kurt Wüsthoff (27 January 1897 – 23 July 1926) was a German fighter ace credited with 27 listed confirmed victories during World War I. Enlisting prewar at age 16 1/2, after learning to fly during the events leading to the war's start, ...

. Four days later, McDonald went for a rest. He had become the squadron's second scoring ace.Franks (2007), p.39.

List of aerial victories

Post World War I

He exited the Royal Air Force in early 1919 and went home to Antigua, due to suffering from eye strain. He then returned to the RAF, gaining a permanent commission as a lieutenant on 1 August 1919 and becoming an instructor at

RAF Cranwell Royal Air Force Cranwell or more simply RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England, close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. Among other functions, it is home to the Royal Air Force College (RAFC), which trai ...

. In 1920, he was assigned to flight operations in Iraq. On 22 September 1920, he flew DH.9a no. F2838 on a relief expedition to drop food to a stranded boat, the ''Greenfly''. He was shot down by ground fire at Samawahon, and seen to wade ashore. He was executed at Dangatora. He is commemorated on Panels 43 and 64 of the

Basra Memorial The Basra Memorial is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission war memorial near Zubayr, Iraq. The memorial commemorates 40,682 Commonwealth forces (99% Indians) members who died during the Mesopotamian Campaign, from the Autumn of 1914 to the end of ...

Honours and awards

;Distinguished Flying Cross :Lt. (temp. Capt.) Ian Donald Roy McDonald, M.C. ::"A dashing, fighting pilot. In the past two months he has destroyed five enemy machines and brought down two others out of control. At all times he shows a fine offensive spirit and complete disregard of danger." ;Military Cross :Lt. Ian Donald Roy McDonald, R.A.F. ::"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. With seven scouts he attacked eighteen enemy machines, of which three were destroyed and one driven down completely out of control. When driven down to within 200 feet of the ground by two enemy machines owing to a choked engine, he turned on them and drove one down. He has in all destroyed eleven enemy aircraft and carried out valuable work in attacking enemy troops on the ground."

References

;Bibliography * * {{DEFAULTSORT:McDonald, Ian Donald Roy 1898 births 1920 deaths People from St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force personnel of World War I British World War I flying aces Recipients of the Military Cross Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)