ACE FIGHTER PILOT

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25090, 23 January 1947, Page 8

ACE FIGHTER PILOT

SQUADRON LEADER E. MACKIE VISITS TIMARU From Our Own Reporter TIMARU, January 22. Squadron Leader Evan Mackie, New Zealand’s No. 2 ace fighter pilot of the Second World War. is paying a short visit to Timaru. Squadron Leader Mackie, whose decorations include the D. 5.0., D.F.C. and bar, and the United States D.F.C., finished his war service with a record of 25 enemy aircraft to his credit. He returned to New Zealand with his English bride a few weeks ago. and after‘visiting relatives in the South Island will return to his home at Waihi. While in Timaru he and his wife are staying with Mr and Mrs E. Laverty, master and matron of the Old People’s Home. Squadron Leader Mackie left New Zealand in 1941 as a leading aircraftman and trained in Canada. After 14 months’ operations from England he was transferred to the Middle East, and served for a long period in North Africa and Malta. He was credited with destroying enemy • aircraft in the Middle East. He returned to England for six months, and in the latter part of the war operated from Holland and Germany. His.flyim? time in fighters totalled 1200 hours. He is an electrician by trade, and will resume this work on his return to Waihi. Mrs Mackie served in the W.A.A.F. in England for five years and had the honour of being mentioned in dispatches. Her parents live in Hertfordshire. f