Air Commodore Alastair Mackie DFC & Bar, CBE

"Air Commodore Alastair Mackie, DFC, aviator and CND campaigner. Born: 3 August 1922 in Worcestershire. Died: 19 May 2018, aged 95. Alastair Mackie flew bombers throughout the North African and Mediterranean campaigns before transferring to Dakota transporters and taking part in three major airborne operations in occupied northern Europe during the Second World War, for which he was honoured. During the Cold War, he went on to command a Vulcan nuclear bombing squadron but became disillusioned with Britain’s nuclear policy believing “We were victims of fraud… Silly me for thinking we were serving the country.” Alastair Cavendish Lindsay Mackie was born in 1920s Worcestershire, one of two children of George, DSO, MBE, a doctor who spent four years commanding a field ambulance in the Great War, and his wife May. The family moved to Malvern in 1925, where George set up a practice.
Proud of their Scottish heritage, the Mackies could trace their lineage back to the 1300s, revealing that they originated from the Clan MacKay, itself a branch of the Clan Gregor, oldest of all tribal titles. Alastair and sister Joanna enjoyed a privileged upbringing, riding, swimming and shooting, while holidaying in Scotland where, with his father, Alastair often fished the River Annan. He enjoyed much about these trips, but he detested having to wear his kilt and full regalia to parties. A bright boy, Alastair passed his entrance exams with distinction and attended Charterhouse, winning an Exhibition to read Medicine at Christ’s College, Cambridge, in the autumn of 1940, but deferred his entry to join the RAF. Having trained on Wellingtons at RAF Harwell, near Oxford, he was deemed fit for operational flying and was commissioned in May 1941. His first task, in August, was to ferry a mark II Wellington bomber to the Middle East (Air Force) via Gibraltar and Malta before a brief posting to 70 Squadron near the Suez Canal."
www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-wing-commander-alastair-mackie-dfc-bomber-pilot-turned-cnd-campaigner-1-4756542