F/L Henry Percy Duval MiD 63092 RAF

[Paul Squires]

Hi All,

Here's a tough one, with many possible errors.

F/L Duval MiD RAF (Can.) was lost from 403 Squadron April 27, 1942, when he collided with the Squadron CO S/L C.N.S. Campbell DFC RAF over France. S/L Campbell was taken PoW.

They Shall Grow Not Old references that F/L Duval had flown in the Battle of Britain, and had been shot down and evaded near Dunkirk in May 1940 with 65 Squadron. However his name does not appear in the list of Battle of Britain pilots.

Another reference has him shot down and evading in July of 1941 (I can't find this one at present).

The Canadian Virtual War Memorial site, however, has a brief news cutting (via the McGill Archives) from the Montreal Gazette dated September 10, 1941, noting the return of then P/O Duval, previously reported missing, which would tie in with the evasion in July 1941 reference. It goes on to note that P/O Duval was residing in Paris, France when France fell, and had made his way to England and enlisted in the RAF in July, 1940. That would explain why he is not in the BoB pilots list, and perhaps this escape was conflated with the actual evasion to create an error in TSGNO.

It might also explain his MiD. I have not been able to find a copy of any citation for that award. Nor are his records available from the Library and Archives of Canada as he was RAF.

But I have only this one, brief reference.

So, I am hoping someone can shed some light on this.

Here are the references I did find through the fog of AI:

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembran ... il/2279146

https://rcaf403squadron.wordpress.com/2 ... a-comment/
https://rcaf403squadron.wordpress.com/2 ... rcy-duval/

and other comments on the 403 Squadron page which are very interesting.

https://www.archives.mcgill.ca/public/e ... .asp?id=87

https://allspitfirepilots.org/aircraft/ ... ne=&notes=

To add to the story, S/L Campbell, the pilot who became PoW in the collision, later married F/L Duval's widow when he was released from Prison. But that's another story.

All the Best,

Paul Squires
Wetaskiwin, Alberta

[Temujin]

Hey Paul, I’ve been searching for you. Found some records (and a combat report) for him with 65 Squadron. Can’t find when he was posted in or posted out.

I’ve checked the entire month of May 1941 and July 1941 Operations Record Books and he is not mentioned and he took NO flights with the Squadron on those two months.

It’s a complicated story you have there, so I thought I would just find things and post them up here for you to decipher. You may already have most or all of this info, but I’ll post what I have found

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[Temujin]

Two more records, London Gazette promotion to Pilot Officer and then his promotion to Flying Officer

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[Temujin]

I’m digging deep into the Operations Record Books and have more information to share.

First on your post I’m seeing dates that “conflict” with each other. You have him JOINING the RAF in July 1940……but before that you mentioned he was shot down in MAY 1940 (I thought you may have made a typo so I looked at MAY 1941, but found nothing)………so I’m still looking for this

I’ve gone thru 65 Squadron Records (not all of them, still working) and 222 Squadron Records and 403 Squadron Records.

You didn’t mention it, but I found that he arrived at 403 Squadron, coming from 222 Squadron.

So of the records I have researched so far I have found the info below in respect to his “flights” while with the various Squadrons:

65 Squadron RAF

May 41 - no flying shown

Jul 41 - no flying shown

Aug 41 - no flying shown

Sept 41 - no flying shown

Oct 41 - dates he flew were 3,8,9,10,11,12,13.15.17,19.21,22,23,26.27,28,29,30,31 (please note I’ve just listed the DAY, he sometimes flew ‘multiple times’ in a day)

Nov 41 - dates he flew were 1,2,3,14,15,16,17, 25, 27 (please note I’ve just listed the DAY, he sometimes flew ‘multiple times’ in a day)

Dec 41 - dates he flew were 5,6,7,8,13,15,17,18,19 (please note I’ve just listed the DAY, he sometimes flew ‘multiple times’ in a day)

Jan 42 - no flying shown

Feb 42 - no flying shown

222 Squadron RAF

Dec 1941 - no flying shown

Jan 1942 - no flying shown

Feb 1942 - dates he flew were 2,13,20,22,25 (please note I’ve just listed the DAY, he sometimes flew ‘multiple times’ in a day)

Mar 1942 - dates he flew were 3,12,23,25,27,29 (please note I’ve just listed the DAY, he sometimes flew ‘multiple times’ in a day)

403 Squadron RCAF

Records show he arrived at this Squadron on the 19 April 1942

Apr 42 - dates he flew were 24,25,26,27 (please note I’ve just listed the DAY, he sometimes flew ‘multiple times’ in a day). Records show he generally flew the same aircraft, Spitfire AD389…….BUT on the day he was lost (27) his aircraft had an ‘accident’ on the taxi for the mission and he took over another aircraft. Records for the 27th April 42 mention his “adventure” in a previous Squadron where he was downed in France and made it back to England (still working to try and confirm this)

This is what I have found so far…….I’m still looking for more information

I’ve attached below information from the records on his joining 403 Squadron and the 27th Apr 1942

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And this is the records when he arrived in 403 Squadron

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