Allegiance United Kingdom Role RAF officer Service/branch Royal Air Force Name William MacDonald Rank Air chief marshal | Battles/wars World War II Battles and wars World War II Years of service 1929–1966 Died November 9, 1984 | |
Commands held No. 150 Squadron
No. 230 Group
Air Headquarters Singapore
RAF Middle East Air Force Awards Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Flying Cross | ||
Air Chief Marshal Sir William Lawrence Mary MacDonald (11 August 1908 – 9 November 1984) was a Royal Air Force Officer who became Commander-in-Chief of the RAF Middle East Air Force.
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RAF career
A native of County Cork, educated at Castleknock College, William MacDonald joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1929. He was appointed Officer Commanding No. 150 Squadron in 1938 and served in World War II, initially in that role: 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. 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.
After the War he became Commandant of the Central Flying School and then Deputy Director of Plans at the Air Ministry before becoming Air Officer Commanding No. 230 Group and then Air Officer Commanding Air Headquarters Singapore in 1952. He was made Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Intelligence) in 1954 and Commander-in-Chief RAF Middle East Air Force in 1958 (including responsibility for British Forces Cyprus and Administration of the Sovereign Base Areas). His role was retitled Commander-in-Chief Near East Air Force in March 1961.
His final appointment was as Air Secretary in 1962; he was made Air Aide-de-Camp to the Queen in 1965 and retired in 1966.