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McCracken, Alexander Purves

Date of birth:
May 7th, 1922 (Toronto/Ontario, Canada)
Date of death:
July 25th, 1943 (Ten Boer, the Netherlands)
Buried on:
Commonwealth War Graves Protestant Cemetery Ten Boer
Grave: 26.
Nationality:
Canadian (1931-present, Constitutional Monarchy)

Biography

Alexander was born on May 7 1922 in Toronto, the son of Alexander McCracken and Catherine McCracken nee Purves (both Scottish) of Outremont Quebec. They were married on April 29 1920 in Glasgow Scotland. His brother was James Purves McCracken.

He was a bank clerk and member of the Presbyterian Church. His sports were skiing, skating, swimming, basketball, tennis and sailing.

He enlisted on December 5 1941 in Montreal and he went thereafter on November 5 1942 overseas to the UK.

Alexander was killed in action on Sunday July 25 1943 age 21 due to a crash between the Thesingerlaan and Ten Boer before or after an attack on Essen in Germany. The other fallen RCAF crew members were W/O II Clifford J. V. Kettley age 23 in grave 25, P/O Michael S. Smyth age 25 in grave 27, F/O Marcel E. Tomczak age 23.. in grave 26 and F/Sgt Edward K.E. White age 20 in grave 24. The other fallen RAF crew member was Sgt Albert J. Wood in grave 26. The other RCAF crew member F/Lt Alexander J. Sochowski survived the crash and he became then a prisoner of war and he also survived the war.

On his headstone: HE LIVED NOT IN YEARS BUT DEEDS

An information sign is since 2021 near the crash site with information about the crash.

He served with the 405 Sqdn Royal Canadian Air Force.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
September 11th, 1942
Air Observer Badge
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Flying Officer
Unit:
No. 405 (Vancouver) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
Awarded on:
October 12th, 1946

Posthumously awarded
RCAF Operational Wings

Sources