N6086 flew it's first mission to Germany, to bomb Nuremberg. The aircraft was later damaged by flak and sent for repair. On 13th December it flew a mission to Cologne, and then another later to Bremen. Following this the N6086 was transferred to Lossimouth in Scotland.

It was here that, during take off for a mission it crashed into a Spitfire that had taxied onto the same runway. The N6086 was severely damaged, and tragically the Spitfire pilot was killed in his aircraft. The N6086 MacRobert's Reply never flew in combat again. (See picture).

The new MacRobert's Reply was another Stirling, this time W7531, and it carried its famous name until it was shot down over Middelfart, Denmark on 18th May 1942. It was first damaged by anti-aircraft fire from a German cruiser off the Swedish coast, and then sustained additional fatal damage from anti-aircraft batteries on the 'Little Belt' bridge between the island of Funen (shown as Fyn on most maps) and the Danish peninsula of Jutland. The aircraft crashed into a forest killing all on board except for the wireless operator, he was Sgt Donald John Jeffs.

(Sgt Jeffs' remarkable survival of the crash, capture by the German forces in Denmark, incarceration in the Stalag Luft VIIIB POW camp, and eventual return to the UK is the subject of my forthcoming book).

Lady MacRobert had continued her generosity and patriotism with another £25,000 donation to the RAF in November 1941. She requested that the RAF purchase 4 Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft (picture link). The four aircraft were handed over to 94 Squadron at Port Said on 19th September 1942.

The were given the following names:

The MacRobert's fighter Sir Iain HL735; (picture donated by Ian Smith, whose father Hubert George Smith Flt/Lieut no:145690 is shown by the aircraft).
The MacRobert's fighter Sir Alasdair HL844
The MacRobert's fighter Sir Roderic HL851;
The MacRobert's salute to Russia the Lady HL775

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Lady Rachael MacRobertbbbbbbbbbbbbbbThe Family Coat of Arms

Alastrean House images .....