By Hugh Boag
The war grave of an RAF gunner from Brodick has been discovered in Denmark.
Sergeant Archibald Mackay was killed when his Lancaster III bomber was shot down in April 1943 along with the pilot and five other men.
The grave was found by Hugh Ramsay from Stonehaven who has been a regular visitor to Arran for many years holidaying with his family in Lochranza.
Hugh told the Banner how his discovery came about. He said: “On a recent business trip to Esbjerg in Denmark I’d the opportunity to visit the military section of the large municipal cemetery there where many Allied service personnel are interred, mostly aircrew and including a relation of mine, Observer sergeant Walter Dennis Ramsay.
“Curiously, perhaps, whilst researching his loss I learned that another crew member of the aircraft of which he was the navigator came from Brodick, namely Sergeant Archibald Ian Mackay, the bomb aimer/front gunner. In the crew listings his parents are named as being Alexander and Ella Mackay.”
The Lancaster III ED614 of 103 Squadon Bomber Command from RAF Elsham Wolds was lost on their 7th operation. At midnight on April 21, 1943 the Lancaster was seen on fire over Vester Vedsted while being fired at by a German night fighter, two minutes later the tail broke off the Lancaster fell to the ground.
Hugh added: “There’s also an impressive granite stone memorial to the crew of the aircraft that was put up by local people at the spot where it came down and who remembered the plane crashing, which I also had the chance to visit for myself.
“I was able to leave poppy crosses at each location as a mark of respect and gratitude for the bomber crew’s sacrifice.
“I’d be very interested to learn if there might be descendants or relatives of Sergeant Mackay still living on the island as it’d be a great honour for me to meet with them when I visit in late October and share further information.
“I’m afraid I don’t know just how common or otherwise the surname Mackay is in Brodick or the island as a whole but with a bit of luck and a few enquiries I’m hopeful you might be in a position to narrow it down.
“We have been coming to the island for more years than I care to remember but always enjoy the experience and despite the fact my children are grown-up adults now they’d still never miss it!”
The granite memorial in Vester Vedsted in Denmark where the plane crashed. NO_B40war03_23_granite_stone
The war grave of Sgt Walter Ramsay. NO_B40war01_23_dennis_ramsay
The war grave of Sgt Archibald Mackay. NO_B40war02_23_archie_mackay