McDonald, R (Robert)
Leading Aircraftman Robert McDonald was the son of the late John McDonald, who was a former Chairman of Coleraine Urban Council. He lived with his wife in Nursery Avenue, Coleraine.
Robert originally joined the Royal Artillery a few months prior to the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. He then transferred to the Royal Air Force.
On the 16th of January 1941, Robert was resting in his bed in an RAF camp hut. The room was lit by a sole paraffin lamp. John Bostock was there also along with another airman, who was on watch. John had just arrived back from a farmhouse he was billeted in, to take up duties.
The lamp which lit the room subsequently went out and the airman who was on watch went over to get a tin that contained the fuel for the lamp. The airman was not sure if it was the correct fuel, so he lit a piece of paper to check the colour of the liquid. Whatever it was, was highly flammable and it immediately burst into flames. The airman knocked the lamp over. The fire spread quickly, Robert jumped out of bed and the three men ran downstairs to escape. Unfortunately, at the first door they reached, they found that the bolt was jammed, and they could not open it. They had to run across the burning building to another door through which they made their escape. The three men made it to the farmhouse and were immediately sent to hospital as they had sustained serious burns.
Unfortunately, Robert passed away in a Northern Ireland hospital later that day from burns he had received in this tragic accident.
Date of Death: 16/01/1942 (Aged 37)
Service: Leading Aircraftman, Royal Air Force
Service Number: 502123
Burial Location: Section E. Grave 2548.
