W. G. G. Duncan Smith
Encyclopedia
Group Captain
Wilfrid George Gerald Duncan Smith, DSO and Bar
, DFC and 2 Bars (28 May 1914 – 11 December 1996) was a British
Royal Air Force
Second World War
Flying ace
.
on 28 May 1914, the son of an officer in the Indian civil service. He was educated in Scotland, where he joined his school's OTC. Returning to India in 1933, he became a coffee and tea planter, but in 1936 returned to the UK to join the RAF.
later that year. He was awarded a DFC in June 1941, and went to 603 Squadron in August 1941 as a Flight Commander. Taken ill late in the year, he spent some time in hospital before joining 64 Squadron in March 1942. In August he became Wing Commander, flying at RAF North Weald.
After a rest from operations he was then sent to the Mediterranean as Wing leader, 244 Wing. In September 1943 after engine failure he bailed out into the sea, being rescued after 5 hours adrift. As a Group Captain, he then took charge of 324 Wing, finally leaving in March 1945.
Duncan Smith or "Smithy" was credited with 17 confirmed kills, two shared kills, six probables, two shared probables and eight damaged in aerial combat.
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
and Bar and the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Bars in recognition of his bravery.
He was the author of Spitfire into Battle, published in 1981, a highly entertaining account of aerial combat in the Spitfire
aircraft.
.
His wife, Pamela (whom he married in 1946) was a ballerina
. Her maternal grandmother was Ellen Oshey, a Japan
ese woman whose father was a Japanese artist. Their son Iain Duncan Smith
is now a British
politician
, and was leader of the Conservative Party
from September 2001 to November 2003.
His son Iain Duncan Smith revealed in a BBC radio interview in 2001 that, while living in America in the 1950s, his father was "propositioned" by American actress Marilyn Monroe
.
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...
Wilfrid George Gerald Duncan Smith, DSO and Bar
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 and 2 Bars (28 May 1914 – 11 December 1996) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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...
Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
.
Early life
Duncan Smith was born in Madras, IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
on 28 May 1914, the son of an officer in the Indian civil service. He was educated in Scotland, where he joined his school's OTC. Returning to India in 1933, he became a coffee and tea planter, but in 1936 returned to the UK to join the RAF.
World War II
Serving at 7 OTU at the outbreak of war, he was posted to No. 611 Squadron RAFNo. 611 Squadron RAF
No. 611 Squadron was a British Auxiliary Air Force later Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron first formed in 1936 and lastly disbanded in 1957.-Early years:...
later that year. He was awarded a DFC in June 1941, and went to 603 Squadron in August 1941 as a Flight Commander. Taken ill late in the year, he spent some time in hospital before joining 64 Squadron in March 1942. In August he became Wing Commander, flying at RAF North Weald.
After a rest from operations he was then sent to the Mediterranean as Wing leader, 244 Wing. In September 1943 after engine failure he bailed out into the sea, being rescued after 5 hours adrift. As a Group Captain, he then took charge of 324 Wing, finally leaving in March 1945.
Duncan Smith or "Smithy" was credited with 17 confirmed kills, two shared kills, six probables, two shared probables and eight damaged in aerial combat.
He was 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...
and Bar and the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Bars in recognition of his bravery.
He was the author of Spitfire into Battle, published in 1981, a highly entertaining account of aerial combat in the Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
aircraft.
Post war
In 1952 Duncan Smith received a second bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross for service in the Malayan EmergencyMalayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
.
His wife, Pamela (whom he married in 1946) was a ballerina
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
. Her maternal grandmother was Ellen Oshey, a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese woman whose father was a Japanese artist. Their son Iain Duncan Smith
Iain Duncan Smith
George Iain Duncan Smith is a British Conservative politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and was previously leader of the Conservative Party from September 2001 to October 2003...
is now a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, and was leader of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
from September 2001 to November 2003.
His son Iain Duncan Smith revealed in a BBC radio interview in 2001 that, while living in America in the 1950s, his father was "propositioned" by American actress Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
.
Sources
- Price, Dr. Alfred. Spitfire Mark V Aces 1941 - 1945. London: Osprey Publishing, 1997. ISBN 978-1-85532-635-4.
- Price, Dr. Alfred. Spitfire Mark I/II Aces 1939 - 41. London: Osprey Publishing, 1996. ISBN 978-1-85532-627-9