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39061 : Flight Lieutenant Alexander Donovan McCONNELL D.F.C.
WIFE : Mrs. B. McConnell of Headington, Oxford.
PARENTS : Mr. and Mrs. McCONNELL of Dunedin.

Alexander McConnell was born on the 22nd January 1919 at Dunedin and received his secondary education at Otago Boys' High School, where he gained the School Certificate. The sports in which he was actively interested included soccer, tennis and swimming. At the time of his making application for ground staff, in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, on the 28th July, 1939, he was employed as a clerk by the National Mortgage and Agency Company at Dunedin.

Flight Lieutenant McConnell was enlisted on the 20th September 1939 at Ohakea where he commenced training in the trade of Equipment Assistant. On the 20th October he was posted to Wigram, where - on the 24th November - he was remustered to a Clerk, General Duties. He applied for a transfer to aircrew and was remustered to airman pilot and posted to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri on the 4th June 1940. On the 1st October 1940 his flying training was terminated and he was remustered to air observer and posted to Ohakea and employed on ground duties whilst awaiting entry into the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 29th September 1940. On the satisfactory completion of his initial training he embarked on board the "Awatea" on the 5th November for Canada.

Flight Lieutenant McConnell arirved in Canada on the 20th November 1940 and was posted to No. 4 Air Observer's School, London, Ontario on the 24th November and thence in February 1941 to No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario where - on the 29th March 1941 - he was awarded his air observer's badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He was promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 1st October 1941 and granted a commission in the rank of Pilot Officer on the 29th June 1942. He was further promoted to Flying Officer on the 29th December 1942 and to Acting Flight Lieutenant on the 9th June 1943. On the 30th March 1941 he was