Alexander Fahey McDonald, known to his friends as “Mac” was born in Trinidad in 1920. His father was Scottish, and mother of Irish descent. He was sent to England for his education at Lord Williams School, Thame, and on leaving school he went to work for the Shipbuilding Conference in London, becoming assistant to the deputy chairman. It was here that he met his future wife, Irene Roblou.

Having been accepted to train as an observer in the Fleet Air Arm, he was sent back to Trinidad for flight training at RNAS, HMS Goshawk, returning to England in January 1942. He married Irene on 17th January, and they honeymooned for a week in Torquay.

Shortly afterwards he received his posting orders to HMS Grebe, a Fleet Air Arm shore base in Alexandria, Eqypt, and on 5th February 1942 he left the Clyde on the light cruiser HMS Cleopatra as part of a Malta convoy.

The ship came under attack on 11th February, near the entrance to Valletta Harbour, and was hit by a 500Ib bomb which passed through the forward structure. Nineteen crew died, and Alexander McDonald was mortally wounded, dying in hospital on Malta the following day.

Remembered:

Alexander is buried in the Military Cemetery at Imtarfa near Mdina in Malta.

He is remembered in Thame on the Lord Williams School memorial board.