November 3, 2025
Each November 11th, Canadians pause to reflect on the service and sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the line of duty. Preserving and sharing the stories of those who served in the air—many of whom never returned—is one part of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada’s mission.
One such individual is Pilot Officer Morris Allan McKenzie of Cartwright, Manitoba, who served with the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 426 Squadron and lost his life in February 1944 during a mission over Europe.
Early Life
Morris Allan McKenzie was born on November 7, 1920, on the family farm near Cartwright, Manitoba. The son of Henry and Hazel McKenzie, Allan grew up helping his parents work the land during the challenging years of the Great Depression. Like many young Canadians of his generation, he answered the call to serve, enlisting in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1942.
Service in the RCAF
Following his training, McKenzie was posted overseas to England in November 1943. He achieved the rank of Pilot Officer and joined No. 426 Squadron—known as “Thunderbird Squadron”—a Royal Canadian Air Force squadron operating under Royal Air Force Bomber Command. Flying the Avro Lancaster, one of the most legendary Allied bombers of the Second World War, McKenzie and his crew took part in the perilous bombing campaign waged against the Nazi regime. These missions carried extraordinary risk; aircrew losses in Bomber Command were among the highest of any Allied service during the war.
Final Mission and the Leipzig Raid
On the night of February 20, 1944, Bomber Command began a major assault on Nazi Germany. This was the opening of Operation Argument, later better known as ‘Big Week’. A series of coordinated Allied raids targeting Germany’s aircraft industry in a campaign intended to secure air superiority before the Normandy landings. Big Week operations are estimated to have cost the Luftwaffe a third of its available fighter aircraft, and a great many of the Luftwaffe’s veteran fighter pilots were also lost in the combat.
Yet the mission proved costly for the allies as well. German night fighters attempted to intercept the bomber stream almost continuously from the North Sea to Leipzig. Poor weather and strong winds also disrupted the attack. Of the bombers dispatched, RAF Bomber Command would lose 131.
Pilot Officer McKenzie was flying Lancaster DS 776 with 426 Squadron when the aircraft was severely damaged, attacked by a night fighter during the return leg of the mission. Lancaster DS 776 crashed south of Eindhoven, killing all seven crew members. They were later laid to rest together at Woensel General Cemetery in Eindhoven.
Operation Argument and the Cost of Courage
The Leipzig raid was part of a campaign that cost the lives of more than 800 Commonwealth airmen. These aviators—drawn from across Canada, the United Kingdom, and other nations in the Commonwealth—bore the heavy responsibility of bringing the war to Germany’s heartland. Many, like Pilot Officer McKenzie, made the ultimate sacrifice in doing so.
Decorations
Pilot Officer McKenzie was posthumously awarded:
- 1939–45 Star
- Air Crew Europe Star
- Defence Medal
- Canadian Volunteer Service Medal
- Memorial Cross
The Memorial Cross is granted by the Government of Canada in recognition of the sacrifice made by those who lay down their lives in service to our nation.
Legacy and Reflection
Morris Allan McKenzie’s story embodies the courage and sacrifice of Canada’s airmen during the Second World War. He is emblematic of the thousands of young Canadians who took to the skies over Europe at immense personal risk.
As we observe Remembrance Day, the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada pays tribute to all who have served. Their courage continues to inspire us, reminding us all that the history of flight is also a history of service, sacrifice, and the enduring pursuit of peace.
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