Wallace McIntosh

Edit links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Wallace McIntosh
Born(1920-03-27)27 March 1920
Second World War
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross & Bar
Distinguished Flying Medal

rear gunner in Lancaster bombers. McIntosh was regarded as the most successful air gunner in Bomber Command
during the Second World War, and was credited with shooting down eight enemy aircraft.

Seven of McIntosh's claims were shared with a fellow crew member,

RCAF). McIntosh also claimed two "probables" and one "damaged" (which was also shared with Sutherland). In a single operation on 7/8 June 1944, McIntosh and Sutherland claimed three German night fighters
.

Early life

McIntosh was born in a barn in

gamekeeper.[1]

Royal Air Force service

On the outbreak of the Second World War, he rode his bicycle the 30 miles (50 km) to

Flying Officer Fred Richardson. He claimed two German aircraft "probably destroyed" during his first tour of 32 missions, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal on 15 October 1943.[2]
After his first tour of duty, he became an air gunnery instructor.

He was commissioned

Champagne
on 3 May 1944 (The only kill he had without Sutherland, whose logbook records no flight that day).

On 7 June 1944, he joined a raid of 112 Lancaster bombers in support of the

Pilot Officer Larry Sutherland, together shot down two Ju 88s on the way to the target. In the return journey, they shot down an Me 210 over Beachy Head. Both gunners were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in the London Gazette 11 July 1944.[5]

The citation reads:

Flying Officer Wallace MC!NTOSH, D.F.M. (149980), R.A.F.V.R., 207 Sqn.

Pilot Officer Clarence Bentley SUTHERLAND (Can/J.86114), R.C.A.F., 207 Sqn.

One night in June, 1944, these officers were rear and mid-upper gunners respectively of an aircraft detailed to attack Cerisy. Just after crossing the enemy coast Flying Officer Mclntosh sighted a Junkers 88 coming in to attack. He promptly warned his pilot who took the necessary combat manoeuvre. Both gunners then opened fire hitting the enemy aircraft with well placed bursts, causing it to spin towards the ground with both its engines on fire. Almost immediately another Junkers 88 was sighted. As the enemy aircraft came into close range, Flying Officer Mclntosh and his co-gunner met the attacker with devastating bursts of fire which caused it to explode in the air. Half an hour later these gunners engaged yet a third enemy aircraft. Following their accurately placed bursts of fire the enemy fighter fell away and was seen to catch fire before it hit the sea. Flying Officer Mclntosh and Pilot Officer Sutherland defended their aircraft with great skill and resolution and undoubtedly played a large part in its safe return. Their achievement was worthy of high praise.

McIntosh received a congratulatory

Sir Arthur Harris.[6]

In July 1944, he shot down two German night fighters in a raid on Stuttgart and was awarded a Bar to his DFC on 8 December 1944 at the end of his second tour of a further 23 operations.[7]

He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 5 June 1945 having held the acting rank for some time.[8] McIntosh applied to extend his service postwar and was granted a 4-year extended commission from 18 December 1945 as a flying officer.[9] He resigned his commission and left the RAF on 19 June 1948.[10]

Later life

He worked as a salesman of agricultural foodstuffs in Scotland, and then worked for a seed merchant.

His biography, Gunning for the Enemy, was published in 2003.[11]

He married Christina Cooper in 1957. They had one son James and two daughters Christina Anne and Mary. His wife died in 1991. He died from lung cancer at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Aberdeen. He was survived by his children.

References

  1. ^ [1][Undiscovered Scotland website – Wallace McIntosh]
  2. ^ "No. 36215". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 October 1943. pp. 4621–4622.
  3. ^ "No. 36170". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 September 1943. pp. 4083–4084.
  4. ^ "No. 36289". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 December 1943. pp. 5491–5492.
  5. ^ "No. 36603". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 July 1944. pp. 3242–3243.
  6. ^ [2][Pilot Officer Prune – biography of Wallace McIntosh]
  7. ^ "No. 36831". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 December 1944. pp. 5634–5635.
  8. ^ "No. 37153". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 June 1945. pp. 3401–3402.
  9. ^ "No. 37952". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 May 1947. pp. 2119–2120.
  10. ^ "No. 38362". The London Gazette. 23 July 1948. pp. 4242–4243.
  11. ^ [3][web link to W McIntosh's biography "Gunning for the enemy"]

Sources

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wallace_McIntosh&oldid=1192148346"