MacFadyen, I L (Ian Lachlan)

MacFadyen, I L (Ian Lachlan)

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Flying Officer Ian MacFadyen was born on the 8th October 1923 and was the son of Alexander and the late Catherine MacFadyen, of 344 Dufferin Street, Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force on the 1st of October 1943. His sister Isabella Wilson was the sole beneficiary of his Will.

On the 5th of March 1945, an Avro Anson (LV153)[1] plane was ready to take off from RAF Wigtown in Scotland. Onboard was Pilot Officer Ian L. McFadyen (Pilot,) Flight Sergeant Robert H. Gilllian (navigator,) Sergeant Michael D. Shaxson (air bomber,) Warrant Officer Jack Pennack (wireless operator and air gunner,) and Sergeant Richard A. Button (wireless operator and air gunner.) It would be Ian MacFadyen’s first flight as Captain and in charge. He had made 4 previous flights as the second pilot with great success. The navigator, Robert H. Gilllian was also inexperienced. The combination would make the night a fateful one. At 21:30 they took off from the airfield.

For some reason it is believed that the aircraft got lost and drifted west. The navigator mistook the city of Londonderry at the bottom of Lough Foyle in Northern Ireland for Stranraer at the bottom of Loch Ryan in Scotland, which was close to his base.

Just after midnight on the 6th of March, a farmer saw a plane with navigation lights fly over his farm at about 200 feet. His farm was located on the Mullaghclogha Mountain, in the Sperrins, Northern Ireland. It cleared the ridge, which was visible to him but did not miss the one beyond as the plane crashed into the mountain just one and half miles away in Legnagappoge Glen.  The plane was located at 1300 feet above sea level, 12 miles southeast of Londonderry.

Pilot Officer Ian L. McFadyen, Flight Sergeant Robert H. Gilllian,[2] Warrant Officer Jack Pennack,[3] Sergeant Richard A. Button[4] all died in the crash. Fortunately, Sergeant Michael D. Shaxson survived, although he had broken both his legs.

Ian McFadyen was laid to rest with a full military funeral on the 10th of March 1945.

Date of Death: 06/03/1945 (Aged 21)

Service: Flying Officer, No. 1 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit, Royal Canadian Air Force.

Service Number: 33514, J36843

Burial Location: Plot W. Grave 1.


[1] Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft which made its first flight during March 1935. It would remain in service until 1968.

[2] Flight Sergeant Robert Hugh Gilllian (RAAF), service number 37399, aged 27, is buried in Limavady (St. Mary) Roman Catholic Cemetery. His story is in this book.

[3] Warrant Officer Jack Pennack (RAVF), service number 1292351, aged 24, was the son of Henry Pennack and of Nellie Gwenoth Pennack (nee Hyde), of Southend-on-Sea, husband of Lesbia Kathleen Pennack, of Southchurch, Southend-on-Sea. He rests in Southend-on-Sea (Sutton Road) Cemetery, Plot R. Grave 12185.

[4] Sergeant Richard Arthur Button (RAVF), service number 3041475, aged 19, was the son of Horace and Blanche Button of Deepcar. He rests in Bolsterstone (St. Mary) Churchyard, Yorkshire, England.

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