Byron Duckenfield
Encyclopedia
Group Captain
Byron Leonard "Ron" Duckenfield, AFC
(1917 — 2010) was a famed World War II Royal Air Force
fighter pilot who flew during the Battle of Britain
.
, and was educated at Sheffield City High School before working as a milkman and then joining the Royal Air Force in 1935.
near Market Drayton
in 1935. At the rank of Sergeant, he was then posted to No. 32 Squadron RAF at RAF Biggin Hill on 8 August 1936 to fly Hurricanes. He was part of testing which resulted in the formation of the Chain Home Low
coastal radar stations. He joined No. 74 Squadron RAF
to fly Spitfires in April 1940.
He was soon posted to No. 501 Squadron RAF
fighting in France, and after just six days cheated death when on board a Bristol Bombay
transport aircraft which crashed in France, killing three squadron members and crew, and injuring six others.he was sent back to hospital in the UK.
Back with 501 on 23 July, on 15 August Duckenfield clashed with Dornier Do 215
s, claiming one as a 'probable' and shooting another down. On 28 August he claimed a Messerschmitt 109
, and another on 8 September. On 15 September he was posted to RAF Northolt
to serve as a test pilot at the Air Fighting Development Unit
.
Awarded an Air Force Cross
in late 1941, Duckenfield was also Mentioned in Despatches
Serving with 615 Squadron in Burma in late December 1942, Duckenfield was shot down overMagwe
and captured. He spent two-and-a-half years in a Rangoon
jail and remained a POW until May 1945.
In November 1949, Duckenfield undertook a refresher course at the Flying Training School, after which he took command of No. 19 Squadron RAF flying Hornets
and Meteors
from RAF Church Fenton
.
Duckenfield was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air
.
After a number of staff positions, he retired from the RAF as a Group Captain
on 28 May 1969.
His final score was 3 and 1 shared aircraft destroyed, and 1 damaged.
in Japan from 1969 until 1982 before retiring to Bretby Park
, where he enjoyed walking, reading and crosswords.
Byron Duckenfield died, aged 93, on 19 November 2010 in Bretby, Derbyshire.
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
Byron Leonard "Ron" Duckenfield, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(1917 — 2010) was a famed World War II 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...
fighter pilot who flew 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...
.
Early life
Duckenfield was born in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, and was educated at Sheffield City High School before working as a milkman and then joining the Royal Air Force in 1935.
Royal Air Force
Duckenfield undertook flying training at No. 10 Flying Training School at RAF TernhillRAF Ternhill
RAF Ternhill is a small Royal Air Force station at Ternhill in Shropshire, near the towns of Newport and Market Drayton. The station, home of Volunteer Gliding Squadron 632, was a helicopter base but is now principally used as an outpost for the tri-service helicopter training establishment at RAF...
near Market Drayton
Market Drayton
Market Drayton is a small market town in north Shropshire, England. It is on the River Tern, between Shrewsbury and Stoke-on-Trent, and was formerly known as "Drayton in Hales" and earlier simply as "Drayton" ....
in 1935. At the rank of Sergeant, he was then posted to No. 32 Squadron RAF at RAF Biggin Hill on 8 August 1936 to fly Hurricanes. He was part of testing which resulted in the formation of the Chain Home Low
Chain Home Low
Chain Home Low was the name of a British radar early warning system, detecting enemy aircraft movement at lower altitudes than and summarily used with the fixed Chain Home system which was operated by the RAF during World War II...
coastal radar stations. He joined No. 74 Squadron RAF
No. 74 Squadron RAF
No. 74 Squadron RAF, also known as a "Tiger Squadron" from its tiger head motif, is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It operated fighter aircraft from 1917 to the 1990s.-First World War:...
to fly Spitfires in April 1940.
He was soon posted to No. 501 Squadron RAF
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...
fighting in France, and after just six days cheated death when on board a Bristol Bombay
Bristol Bombay
|-See also:...
transport aircraft which crashed in France, killing three squadron members and crew, and injuring six others.he was sent back to hospital in the UK.
Back with 501 on 23 July, on 15 August Duckenfield clashed with Dornier Do 215
Dornier Do 215
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Dressel, Joachim and Manfred Griehl. Bombers of the Luftwaffe. London: DAG Publications, 1994. ISBN 1-85409-140-9....
s, claiming one as a 'probable' and shooting another down. On 28 August he claimed a Messerschmitt 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...
, and another on 8 September. On 15 September he was posted to RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt
RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station situated in South Ruislip, east by northeast of Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. Approximately north of London Heathrow Airport, the station also handles a large number of private civil flights...
to serve as a test pilot at the Air Fighting Development Unit
Air Fighting Development Unit
The Air Fighting Development Unit was an air technical intelligence part of the Royal Air Force which developed operational tactics and tested captured enemy aircraft. It was based at Royal Air Force Stations at Northolt, Duxford and Wittering....
.
Awarded an Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
in late 1941, Duckenfield was also Mentioned in Despatches
Serving with 615 Squadron in Burma in late December 1942, Duckenfield was shot down overMagwe
Magwe
-Burma:*Magway, Burma, the capital city of Magway Division of Burma *Magway Division *Magway District in Magway Division*Magway Township in Magway District*Magway University in Magwe, Burma...
and captured. He spent two-and-a-half years in a Rangoon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
jail and remained a POW until May 1945.
In November 1949, Duckenfield undertook a refresher course at the Flying Training School, after which he took command of No. 19 Squadron RAF flying Hornets
De Havilland Hornet
The de Havilland DH.103 Hornet was a piston engine fighter that further exploited the wooden construction techniques pioneered by de Havilland's classic Mosquito. Entering service at the end of the Second World War, the Hornet equipped postwar RAF Fighter Command day fighter units in the UK and was...
and Meteors
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
from RAF Church Fenton
RAF Church Fenton
RAF Church Fenton is a Royal Air Force airfield at Church Fenton in North Yorkshire, England.- History :Plans for a new airfield adjacent to the village of Church Fenton were announced in June 1935, it was subject to protest from the local population particularly concerning the waste of valuable...
.
Duckenfield was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
The Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service is a British military award that recognises meritorious service during, or in support of, operations...
.
After a number of staff positions, he retired from the RAF as a Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
on 28 May 1969.
His final score was 3 and 1 shared aircraft destroyed, and 1 damaged.
Post RAF Career
After retiring from the RAF, Duckenfield worked in marketing for Rolls-RoyceRolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
in Japan from 1969 until 1982 before retiring to Bretby Park
Bretby
Bretby is a village in the south of Derbyshire, England, north of Swadlincote and east of Burton upon Trent, on the border between Derbyshire and Staffordshire. The name means "dwelling place of Britons"...
, where he enjoyed walking, reading and crosswords.
Byron Duckenfield died, aged 93, on 19 November 2010 in Bretby, Derbyshire.