George Mackie has died aged 100. After training as a pilot in 1941, he joined 15 Squadron to fly the RAF’s first four-engine bomber, the Stirling. Shortly after joining, Lady MacRoberts, the widow of a Scottish landowner, presented a Stirling bomber to the squadron in memory of her three sons who had all been killed in the RAF. Mackie flew mining sorties, bombed the German capital ships in Brest and attacked Germany. During a rest tour he flew on the first “Thousand Bomber” raid when he attacked Cologne. His second tour was on 214 Squadron, which soon re-equippwd with the B-17 Flying Fortress flying in the electronic counter measure role supporting the main bomber force. After 44 operations, he was awarded the DFC.

He later had a distinguished career as an artist and designer of fine books.

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