241137 Cpl. Robert Mack MID.Royal Air Force 269 Squadron from:Edinburgh Dad , Robert Mack was serving with 269 Squadron on Hudsons when S for Sugar bombed a U Boat to the surface and subsequently surrendered. As he was a member of the Squadron ground crew, personnel had to maintain and keep a continuous flow of aircraft flying from Iceland to the U Boat location in the Atlantic for some days before the Royal Navy arrived and towed it into Barrow in Furness. As a result, Dad was MID for his effort on the ground crews heavy demands.
Later on, and as the years slipped by, I met a Scots girl whose father, Frank McFedries (wireless operator), also served with 269 Squadron at the same time as Dad. Frank even strongly suggested that they must have played in the same football team in Iceland. Both never having met since the war, were looking forward to meeting and swapping yarns at my wedding, but unfortunately Dad passed away a couple of months before the event. Frank was devastated to have missed the chance to meet up with an old comrade.
Dad really never spoke of his time during the War but he did show some poor reflection on the Americans in Iceland, who seemed to have perfectly good adequate winter clothing, whilst the Brits had to make do with much sub standard kit. He used to add that at least they were good for obtaining nylons for wives and girlfriends back in Blighty. From Iceland he then moved on posting to North Africa.
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