Bob Yule
Encyclopedia
Robert Duncan Yule (1920 – 1953) DSO
, DFC
and Bar
was a New Zealand
born officer and fighter pilot
of the Royal Air Force
(RAF) during the Battle of Britain
and Second World War.
, Yule was born on 29 January 1920 in Invercargill
, New Zealand
. In early 1938, Yule won a scholarship
to the Royal Air Force College Cranwell
and on 10 March 1938, he embarked on the vessel Rangitiki for England. Yule began the course in April the same year. At the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, Yule joined 145 Squadron
, a newly reformed fighter unit. He was granted pilot officer
on probation
status on 23 October 1939.
On 18 May 1940, Yule took part in 145’s first action of the war. On patrol over Brussels
, 12 Heinkel He 111
's were intercepted in broken cloud and when the German bombers emerged from cover the Hurricanes
attacked, Yule shooting one down. Four days later he destroyed a Junkers Ju 87
. During the Battle of Britain Yule destroyed a Ju88
and damaged three more, but on 25 October, he was himself shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf 109
in combat over Kent
and was admitted to hospital
with leg wounds after making a forced landing
which completely wrote off his Hurricane. Yule was confirmed at the rank of pilot officer on 23 October 1940.
Yule rejoined 145 Squadron in February 1941, but shortly afterwards was posted away to be an instructor. He helped instruct American
pilots, very much under secrecy because the USA was still neutral. In early November 1941, he returned to operations with 501 Squadron
remaining with the unit for seven months and performing many operational sorties. In April 1942, Yule was promoted to Squadron Leader
and in June that year he took command of 66 Squadron
and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
. His citation read:
Whilst leading a squadron sweep over the Cherbourg area on 15 July 1942, Yule engaged in combat with 2 FW 190's
. He destroyed one, which exploded and crashed into the sea, and the other was last seen flying inland with its engine smoking. In mid November 1942, having completed his first tour, Yule was posted to general office duties and was awarded a Bar
to his DFC. His citation read:
In August 1943, Yule was promoted to Wing Commander
of 66 Squadron and recommenced operational flying. After leading the Wing on many operational sorties, he was posted away in early March and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
. His citation read:
Yule went on to planning duties, involving fighter wings of the 2nd Tactical Air Force in the coming Normandy invasion. He continued with these duties into 1945 and at war’s end was on a RAF Staff College
course. While rehearsing for the Battle of Britain flypast over London on 11 September 1953, Yule collided with another jet aircraft. Faced with a densely-populated area, Yule steered his aircraft towards Woolwich Arsenal
and crash-landed between rows of buildings. Yule was killed in the crash.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
and Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
was a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
born officer and fighter pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) during the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
and Second World War.
Career
The son of a dental surgeonDental surgery
Dental surgery is any of a number of medical procedures that involve artificially modifying dentition, in other words surgery of the teeth and jaw bones.-Types:Some of the more common are:...
, Yule was born on 29 January 1920 in Invercargill
Invercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. In early 1938, Yule won a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to the Royal Air Force College Cranwell
Royal Air Force College Cranwell
The Royal Air Force College is the Royal Air Force training and education academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to be commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is responsible for all RAF recruiting along with...
and on 10 March 1938, he embarked on the vessel Rangitiki for England. Yule began the course in April the same year. At the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, Yule joined 145 Squadron
No. 145 Squadron RAF
No. 145 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that operated during World War I, World War II and the Cold War. Its motto was Diu noctuque pugnamus .-History:...
, a newly reformed fighter unit. He was granted pilot officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
on probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
status on 23 October 1939.
On 18 May 1940, Yule took part in 145’s first action of the war. On patrol over Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, 12 Heinkel He 111
Heinkel He 111
The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium...
's were intercepted in broken cloud and when the German bombers emerged from cover the Hurricanes
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
attacked, Yule shooting one down. Four days later he destroyed a Junkers Ju 87
Junkers Ju 87
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka was a two-man German ground-attack aircraft...
. During the Battle of Britain Yule destroyed a Ju88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
and damaged three more, but on 25 October, he was himself shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
in combat over Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and was admitted to hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
with leg wounds after making a forced landing
Emergency landing
An emergency landing is a landing made by an aircraft in response to a crisis which either interferes with the operation of the aircraft or involves sudden medical emergencies necessitating diversion to the nearest airport.-Types of emergency landings:...
which completely wrote off his Hurricane. Yule was confirmed at the rank of pilot officer on 23 October 1940.
Yule rejoined 145 Squadron in February 1941, but shortly afterwards was posted away to be an instructor. He helped instruct American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pilots, very much under secrecy because the USA was still neutral. In early November 1941, he returned to operations with 501 Squadron
No. 501 Squadron RAF
No 501 Squadron was the fourteenth of the twenty-one flying units in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, the volunteer reserve part of the British Royal Air Force. The squadron won seven battle honours, flying Hurricane, Spitfire and Tempest fighter aircraft during World War II, and was one of the most...
remaining with the unit for seven months and performing many operational sorties. In April 1942, Yule was promoted to Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
and in June that year he took command of 66 Squadron
No. 66 Squadron RAF
No. 66 Squadron was a Royal Flying Corps and eventually Royal Air Force aircraft squadron.-In World War I:It was first formed at Filton on 30 June 1916 as a Training Squadron equipped with BE2c,d & e, BE12 and Avroe 504A machines. The squadron received its first Sopwith Pup on 3 February 1917,...
and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
. His citation read:
Whilst leading a squadron sweep over the Cherbourg area on 15 July 1942, Yule engaged in combat with 2 FW 190's
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
. He destroyed one, which exploded and crashed into the sea, and the other was last seen flying inland with its engine smoking. In mid November 1942, having completed his first tour, Yule was posted to general office duties and was awarded a Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his DFC. His citation read:
In August 1943, Yule was promoted to Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
of 66 Squadron and recommenced operational flying. After leading the Wing on many operational sorties, he was posted away in early March and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
. His citation read:
Yule went on to planning duties, involving fighter wings of the 2nd Tactical Air Force in the coming Normandy invasion. He continued with these duties into 1945 and at war’s end was on a RAF Staff College
RAF Staff College, Bracknell
The RAF Staff College at Bracknell was a Royal Air Force staff college active for most of the second half of the 20th century. Its role was the training of staff officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of air force matters...
course. While rehearsing for the Battle of Britain flypast over London on 11 September 1953, Yule collided with another jet aircraft. Faced with a densely-populated area, Yule steered his aircraft towards Woolwich Arsenal
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
and crash-landed between rows of buildings. Yule was killed in the crash.
Further reading
- Wynn, K. (1981). A clasp for "The Few". Published by Auckland, N.Z. .