McGregor, Francis

Other Information

Francis was baptised on 3 December 1922 in the United Free Church, North Queensferry on the same day as his brother Walter, who was a year older.

His parents had another son (Robert) in 1917, at which time his father had been a Sapper in the Royal Engineers.
They subsequently had a daughter (Helen) in 1924 at which time they lived in Main Street.

70 Squadron was based in North Africa and operated Wellington bombers in support of 8th Army in the deserts of Egypt and Libya.

Francis was the wireless operator in Wellington Z1166, DU-O “Oscar” which took off on the night of 9/10 February 1942 from LG142 (Gambut 2, about half way between Tobruk and Sallum, Libya) to bomb a German airfield at Matruba, Libya (south of Derna and west of Tobruk).

The aircraft was listed as ‘missing’ and apparently no trace was ever found.

His younger brother George McGregor is mentioned below (but is not on the Memorial).

Sources

Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Scottish National War Memorial (Edinburgh Castle.)
North Queensferry Free Church Baptismal Roll.
National Archives. 70 Squadron Record. 70 Squadron Summary.

Here dead we lie, Because we did not choose
To live and shame the land, From which we sprung.

Life, to be sure, Is nothing much to lose,
But young men think it is, And we were young.

[Here Dead We Lie, A.E. Housman]

When You Go Home,
Tell Them Of Us And Say,

For Your Tomorrow,
We gave our Today

[Kohima, attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds]

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
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