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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

David William MacFarlane

In memory of:

Flight Sergeant David William MacFarlane

May 26, 1943

Military Service


Service Number:

R/88370

Age:

21

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

77 (R.A.F.) Sqdn

Citation(s):

1939-45 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Defence Medal, War Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.
Posthumously awarded RCAF Operational Wings in recognition of gallant service in action against the enemy, on 15 August 1946.

Additional Information


Born:

May 31, 1921
Truro, Nova Scotia

Enlistment:

May 1, 1941
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Son of Frederick J. and Zylpha Cindrilla (nee Wheaton) MacFarlane (1957 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother), of Truro, Nova Scotia.

Step-brother of Sergeant Robert James Griffiths, who died while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders.

Commemorated on Page 184 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:
Grave Reference:

Coll. grave 4. D. 5-20.

Location:

Rheinberg is 24 kilometres north of Krefeld and 13 kilometres south of Wesel, in the locality of Kamp Lintfort, Nordrhein-Westfal. The cemetery is 3 kilometres south of the centre of the town of Rheinberg on the road to Kamp Lintfort. From the motorway 57, turn off at Rheinberg and at the T junction follow the 510 in the direction Kamp Lintfort. The cemetery is a short way along this road on the right.

The site of Rheinberg War Cemetery was chosen in April 1946 by the Army Graves Service for the assembly of Commonwealth graves recovered from numerous German cemeteries in the area. The majority of those now buried in the cemetery were airmen, whose graves were brought in from Dusseldorf, Krefeld, Munchen-Gladbach, Essen, Aachen and Dortmund; 450 graves were from Cologne alone. The men of the other fighting services buried here mostly lost their lives during the battle of the Rhineland, or in the advance from the Rhine to the Elbe.

There are now 3,326 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated at Rheinberg War Cemetery. 156 of the burials are unidentified. There are also nine war graves of other nationalities, most of them Polish.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial– Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flight Sergeant David William MacFarlane is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flight Sergeant David William MacFarlane is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
  • Group Photo– David pictured 2nd from left, believed to be during Air Gunner training in Canada.
  • Group Photo– David with four of the crew of Halifax JB837 of 77 Squadron who were all lost alongside him. They knew him affectionately as 'Little Mac'. 

Picture likely to have been taken during their time together at No.24 Operational Training Unit, RAF Honeybourne early 1943

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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