William MacDonald (RAF officer)

Sir William MacDonald
Sir William MacDonald
Born	11 August 1908; County Cork, Ireland
Died	9 November 1984 (aged 76)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1929–1966
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Commands held	Near East Air Force (1958–62); AHQ Singapore (1952–54); No. 230 Group (1952); Central Flying School (1946–48); No. 137 Wing RAF (1943–44); No. 150 Squadron (1938–40)
Battles/wars	Second World War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath; Commander of the Order of the British Empire; Distinguished Flying Cross; Mentioned in Despatches (2); Knight of the Legion of Honour (France); Croix de Guerre (France); Order of the Star of Jordan

Air Chief Marshal Sir William Lawrence Mary MacDonald, GCB, CBE, DFC (11 August 1908 – 9 November 1984) was a Royal Air Force Officer who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Near East Air Force from 1958 to 1962.

RAF career

Born in County Cork and educated at Castleknock College, William MacDonald joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1929.[1] He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 150 Squadron in 1938 and served in the Second World War. On 30 September 1940, during the Battle of France, his Fairey Battle bomber was chased at tree top height by three German fighters and he cartwheeled into a French field.[1] He continued his war service as a member of the Air Staff at Headquarters No. 1 Group before being appointed Air Officer for Administration at Headquarters No. 84 Group in November 1944.[1]

After the war MacDonald became Commandant of the Central Flying School and then Deputy Director of Plans at the Air Ministry, before being appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 230 Group and then Air Officer Commanding Air Headquarters Singapore in 1952.[1] He was made Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Intelligence) in 1954 and Commander-in-Chief Middle East Air Force in 1958 (including responsibility for British Forces Cyprus and Administration of the Sovereign Base Areas).[1] His role was retitled Commander-in-Chief Near East Air Force in March 1961.[2]

MacDonald's final appointment was as Air Secretary in 1962; he was made Air Aide-de-Camp to the Queen in 1965 and retired in 1966.[1]

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References

Air Chief Marshal Sir William MacDonald biography
Service Aviation Flight International, 26 October 1961

Military offices
Preceded by Francis Fressanges	Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Intelligence) 1954–1958	Succeeded by Sidney Bufton
Preceded by Sir Hubert Patch	Commander-in-Chief RAF Middle East Air Force/Near East Air Force 1958–1962	Succeeded by Sir Denis Barnett
Preceded by Sir Theodore McEvoy	Air Secretary 1962–1966	Succeeded by Sir Donald Evans

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[air-1] Air Chief Marshal Sir William MacDonald biography

[2] Service Aviation Flight International, 26 October 1961