Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Alexander Mackay was born 8 Jul 1913 at Southport, the son of George & Florence Mackay. The family moved to the Sunshine Coast in the 1920’s and were farmers at Reesville near Maleny. He arrived in Wooroolin about 1938 and was a hairdresser in one of the rooms opposite the supper room at the Memorial Hall and was known as Billy.
Billy married Rene Erichsen in Apr 1940 and they lived in Andrew St, Wooroolin. Their son Ken was born in Mar 1943.
0n 6 Feb 1940, Billie enlisted in the R.A.A.F., having previously been in the Air Force Reserve. He advanced to become a sergeant and trained as an air gunner with 41 R.D.F. Wing from where he was seconded to 63 Bomber Sqd U.S.A.A.F. The B-17 Flying Fortress which Billie was attached to was shot down by enemy aircraft over Rabual on 30 Jun 1943. The aircraft was not found for many years after and when it was finally found in 1951, any remains found were repatriated to the U.S.A. for burial. Billie is interred in the St. Louis (Jefferson Barracks) National Cemetery in Saint Louis County, Missouri, U.S.A. William Alexander Mackay was 29 and his little son three months old.
The article in the Nambour Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser Friday 16 July 1943 informs us that he took park in the Bismarck Sea Battle and that he had never seen his young son.
Lest We Forget