| Byron Leonard Duckenfield | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Byron Leonard Duckenfield |
| Nickname | Ron |
| Born | April 15, 1917 Sheffield |
| Died | November 19, 2010 (aged 93) Bretby |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1935 — 1969 |
| Rank | Group Captain |
| Unit | No. 10 Flying Training School, No. 32 Squadron RAF, No. 74 Squadron RAF, No. 501 Squadron RAF, RAF Northolt |
| Commands held | No. 66 Squadron RAF, No. 19 Squadron RAF |
| Battles/wars | World War II: Battle of France, Battle of Britain |
| Awards | Air Force Cross, Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air |
| Other work | Rolls Royce |
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.
Contents |
Duckenfield was born in Sheffield, and was educated at Sheffield City High School before working as a milkman and then joining the Royal Air Force in 1935.[1]
Duckenfield undertook flying training at No. 10 Flying Training School at RAF Ternhill 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 215s, 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[2]
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.[3]
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.[4]
After a number of staff positions, he retired from the RAF as a Group Captain on 28 May 1969.[5]
His final score was 3 and 1 shared aircraft destroyed, and 1 damaged.[6]
After retiring from the RAF, Duckenfield worked in marketing for Rolls-Royce 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.