Five: attributed to Squadron Leader A. S. MacIntyre, Southern Rhodesia Air Force and Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was killed in action in a Typhoon of No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron during a cross-Channel sweep in August 1943

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, this officially engraved, as issued posthumously to Rhodesians, ‘S./Ldr. A. S. McIntyre, 266 Sqdn.’; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals, generally extremely fine (5) £250-300

Alexander Stewart “Sandy” MacIntyre, who was born in Maseru in December 1918, originally joined the 1st Battalion, Rhodesia Regiment in October 1938, but transferred to the Southern Rhodesia Air Force in the following month and was commissioned on gaining his “Wings” in November 1939. Posted to East Africa, and thence to North Africa, he flew operationally in No. 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron before being embarked for the U.K. in August 1942, a period that witnessed him claiming at least one Italian Caproni bomber in a raid on Kassala, where the flak was so thick ‘that one could put wheels down and taxi over it’ - an accompanying typed history of No. 237 in North Africa refers.

As stated, MacIntyre was embarked for the U.K. in August 1942, where he remained on an operational footing as a Flight Lieutenant in No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron, a Typhoon unit. Sadly, however, he was posted missing, presumed killed, following a sortie on 15 August 1943, when the Squadron’s aircraft, operating out of Exeter, with a detachment at Warmwell, were “jumped” by FW. 190s over the Channel - two fellow pilots, “Johnny” Small and Brian Biddulph, were lost on the same occasion. MacIntyre, who had been advanced to Squadron Leader on assuming command of No. 266 in the previous month, is buried in Le Folgoet Communal Cemetery, north-east of Brest, France; sold with two original wartime photographs, via ex-266 Squadron member, K. M. Rogers, and a file of related research.