Name: Rank: Service No: Service: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Date of Enlistment: Place of Enlistment: Address at Enlistment: Age at Enlistment: Height: Complexion: Eye Colour: Hair Colour: Martial Status: Trade: Religion: Next of Kin: Date of Death: Age at Death: Cemetery:

Ferdinand Foch MacNeil

Sources Veterans Affairs Canada

Ferdinand Foch MacNeil Leading Aircraftman R/124638 Royal Canadian Air Force May 27, 1922 Inverness, Inverness Co., NS August 21, 1941 Halifax, NS Railway St., Inverness, NS 19 5 feet, 5½ inches Fair Brown Black Single Store Clerk Roman Catholic John Angus MacNeil (Father) Inverness, NS June 26, 1942 20 Stella Maris Roman Catholic Cemetery, Inverness NS Commemorated on page 93 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on February 28 and 29 Ferdinand (Ferdie) was the son of John Angus MacNeil and Margaret (MacFarlane) MacNeil, of Inverness, NS. He attended Public School in Inverness between 1929 and 1940 and completed his grade 11. He then was employed as a store clerk with Robin Jones and Whitman Ltd. until he joined the RCAF. He played baseball, and hockey. He enlisted on August 21, 1941. He was at Valcartier No. 5 Manning Depot between August 21, 1941 until October 11, 1941. The RCAF assessed him as steady, reliable, and sincere and considered suitable for a commissioned rank and best fitted for pilot. He was then sent to No. 31 Operational Training Unit at RCAF Debert between October 12, 1941 until November 22, 1941. He was next assigned to No. 3 Initial Training School at Victoriaville, Quebec and was stationed there between November 23, 1941, and February 14, 1942. This was academic based training and testing for pilot, Air Observer/Navigator candidates. On February 15, 1942 through April 25, 1942, he was assigned to RCAF Stanley, NS at No 17 EFTS Elementary Flying Training School. On April 26, 1942, he was moved to No 8 Service Flying Training School at RCAF Moncton, New Brunswick. On June 26, 1942, Leading Aircraftman MacNeil was on an Instrument Training Flight in Harvard MK II 3808 aircraft, with Pilot Officer James Robert Connely (J/10290) when the plane collided with Harvard MK II 3771 near Cocagne, sixteen miles north-east of Moncton. The aircraft crashed and both MacNeil and Connely were killed. Harvard aircraft 3771 landed safely. John Colin MacNeil, a brother of John Angus MacNeil, the father of Leading Aircraftman MacNeil, named a son born in 1943 Ferdinand Foch (Ferd) MacNeil (1943-2018).

Ferdinand Foch MacNeil and his aircraft. (Photo: courtesy of Teresa Marques