https://airforceescape.org/wp-content/u ... 0-1945.pdf
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F/L Henry Percy Duval MiD 63092 RAF
Re: F/L Henry Percy Duval MiD 63092 RAF
You can download the entire file at this link
https://airforceescape.org/wp-content/u ... 0-1945.pdf
https://airforceescape.org/wp-content/u ... 0-1945.pdf
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Paul Squires
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Re: F/L Henry Percy Duval MiD 63092 RAF
Hi Temujin,
Sorry for the delay in replying, I was formatting the latest update to the Chronology. That update will include several references to this site, all your work.
And I feel guilty at the amount of work you put into this matter. But I think you have covered it fully, and answered the questions that were poised, so we can correct the entry in TSGNO.
The reference to May 1940 in They Shall Grow Not Old, I believe in error. It must refer to the date he arrived in England from Paris as a civilian prior to joining the RAF, conflated with his later evasion. He was not, as they refer, a pilot in the Battle of Britain or shot down and evaded in 1940, but was shot down and evaded July 1941. On return he served with 65 Squadron, shooting down a Bf 109, then with #222 Squadron, and finally with #403 Squadron where he was killed.
I have amended the entry in the Errata to read as follows (without colour, underlining will mark a portion of the original text struck-out, Bold will mark a correction, Italics will mark further information.)
DUVAL, HENRY PERCY F/L(P) 63092 MiD - Royal Air Force. From St. John's [Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu], Quebec. Killed in Action Apr. 27/42 age 30. #403 Wolf Squadron (Stalk And Strike). F/L Duval lost his life when his Spitfire aircraft AA834 was in a mid-air collision with Spitfire aircraft BM123 during operations over enemy-held territory. S/L C.N.S. Campbell DFC RAF, the Squadron commanding officer, was taken Prisoner of War from BM123. F/L Duval had flown Spitfire aircraft with #65 Squadron in the Battle of Britain, and had been shot down near Dunkirk in May of 1940. As a P/O he had been shot down in France flying with #258 Squadron July 8, 1941, and evaded with a party that included Sgt J.G.L. Robillard RCAF, #145 Squadron, who had been shot down July 2, 1941, for which they were Mentioned in Dispatches [wartimes.ca]. He then flew with #65 Squadron, where he shot down a German fighter, then with #222 Squadron before transferring to #403 Squadron [wartimes.ca]. Flight Lieutenant Pilot Duval is buried in the Military Cemetery, Etaples, Pas-de-Calais, France. Husband of Eileen Madeleine Duval, later Campbell (her second husband the pilot taken PoW in this incident), and he held a B.Sc. in Engineering from McGill University [CWGC; CVWM; rcaf403squadron.wordpress.com]. F/L Duval was living in Paris when France was invaded in May, 1940, and escaped to England where he joined the RAF in July of the same year [CVWM].
I think that is a fair summation of this Officer's history, while still leaving much for people to discover (like visiting this site).
What do you think?
And again, Thank You for the information, especially about the evasion. I just find these problems, you find the solutions.
Let me know about this entry for F/L Duval, and All the Best,
Paul
Wetaskiwin
Sorry for the delay in replying, I was formatting the latest update to the Chronology. That update will include several references to this site, all your work.
And I feel guilty at the amount of work you put into this matter. But I think you have covered it fully, and answered the questions that were poised, so we can correct the entry in TSGNO.
The reference to May 1940 in They Shall Grow Not Old, I believe in error. It must refer to the date he arrived in England from Paris as a civilian prior to joining the RAF, conflated with his later evasion. He was not, as they refer, a pilot in the Battle of Britain or shot down and evaded in 1940, but was shot down and evaded July 1941. On return he served with 65 Squadron, shooting down a Bf 109, then with #222 Squadron, and finally with #403 Squadron where he was killed.
I have amended the entry in the Errata to read as follows (without colour, underlining will mark a portion of the original text struck-out, Bold will mark a correction, Italics will mark further information.)
DUVAL, HENRY PERCY F/L(P) 63092 MiD - Royal Air Force. From St. John's [Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu], Quebec. Killed in Action Apr. 27/42 age 30. #403 Wolf Squadron (Stalk And Strike). F/L Duval lost his life when his Spitfire aircraft AA834 was in a mid-air collision with Spitfire aircraft BM123 during operations over enemy-held territory. S/L C.N.S. Campbell DFC RAF, the Squadron commanding officer, was taken Prisoner of War from BM123. F/L Duval had flown Spitfire aircraft with #65 Squadron in the Battle of Britain, and had been shot down near Dunkirk in May of 1940. As a P/O he had been shot down in France flying with #258 Squadron July 8, 1941, and evaded with a party that included Sgt J.G.L. Robillard RCAF, #145 Squadron, who had been shot down July 2, 1941, for which they were Mentioned in Dispatches [wartimes.ca]. He then flew with #65 Squadron, where he shot down a German fighter, then with #222 Squadron before transferring to #403 Squadron [wartimes.ca]. Flight Lieutenant Pilot Duval is buried in the Military Cemetery, Etaples, Pas-de-Calais, France. Husband of Eileen Madeleine Duval, later Campbell (her second husband the pilot taken PoW in this incident), and he held a B.Sc. in Engineering from McGill University [CWGC; CVWM; rcaf403squadron.wordpress.com]. F/L Duval was living in Paris when France was invaded in May, 1940, and escaped to England where he joined the RAF in July of the same year [CVWM].
I think that is a fair summation of this Officer's history, while still leaving much for people to discover (like visiting this site).
What do you think?
And again, Thank You for the information, especially about the evasion. I just find these problems, you find the solutions.
Let me know about this entry for F/L Duval, and All the Best,
Paul
Wetaskiwin
Re: F/L Henry Percy Duval MiD 63092 RAF
Looks good Paul. It’s funny that I never use my copy of TSGNO when I’m researching for you, for obvious reasons. And I’m happy that the research isn’t “done” on the book and they continue to update when new information becomes available.
Thank you for the “references to Wartimes.ca” in your write up
Cheers (and can’t wait for the next search, they are always interesting)
Thank you for the “references to Wartimes.ca” in your write up
Cheers (and can’t wait for the next search, they are always interesting)
Re: F/L Henry Percy Duval MiD 63092 RAF
I just found confirmation on F/L Duval’s MID. It was indeed award for his Escape and Evasion
Source: UK, Recommendations for Honours and Awards, 1935-1943
Source: UK, Recommendations for Honours and Awards, 1935-1943
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