John Dundas (RAF officer)

A small memorial to Dundas is on a cliff-top path east of Freshwater Bay on the Isle of Wight, close to the point where his final battle took place. It was installed in November 2000, on the 60th anniversary of his death.

In May 1940 his squadron took part in the Battle of France, during which Dundas claimed his first two victories. Dundas remained with his squadron throughout the Battle of Britain, claiming nine German aircraft shot down. On 9 October he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for 10 victories. At the time of his last battle Dundas had been credited with 12 aircraft destroyed, two shared destroyed, four probably destroyed and five damaged. During a battle over the English Channel on 28 November 1940, Dundas is believed to have engaged and shot down Helmut Wick, the highest-scoring ace of the Luftwaffe at that time. Moments later Dundas was also shot down into the sea. Both pilots vanished and remain missing in action.

Dundas was promoted to the rank of flying officer in January 1940. 609 Squadron was positioned on the south coast of England in May 1940, and was part of RAF Fighter Command operations to provide air cover for the Royal Navy and civilian vessels that were taking part in the Dunkirk evacuation.

On 11 August 1940 Dundas flew R6769. Taking off at 09:45 am he led yellow section out to sea near the Isle of Wight at 24,000 feet (7,300 m). Dundas and two other Spitfires (including his wingman) lost contact with his squadron. He saw nine Hawker Hurricanes below and in mid-Channel but also noticed contrails above and climbed up to investigate. The aircraft were Bf 110s, with Messerschmitt Bf 109s providing top cover. Dundas led an attack, but lost the other Spitfires and attacked alone. He shot down a Bf 110 but received hits from German rear gunners. It is likely that the Bf 110 was from I./Zerstörergeschwader 2 ("destroyer wing 2").

A major effort was made by the Luftwaffe on 13 August 1940. Christened Adlertag ("eagle day"), the Germans began a series of heavy air attacks. At 15:30 No. 609 Squadron was scrambled, with Dundas flying in R6690 as number four in red section. At 10,000 feet (3,000 m) he spotted German fighters. Red leader could not see the enemy and instructed Dundas to take the lead. Climbing into the sun at 18,000 feet (5,500 m), Dundas saw Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers below him. Attacking he shot down one of the Ju 87s from Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 ("dive bombing wing 2"). Dundas damaged another before being hit. He made a "dead-stick" landing at RAF Warmwell. The German unit that 609 attacked was badly hit. One Staffel ("squadron") of II./StG 2 lost six out of nine Ju 87s.

Eleven days later Dundas claimed a probable victory against a Bf 110, after a battle with German aircraft six miles north of RAF Warmwell at 16:30. Despite firing a 12–14 second burst at the enemy fighter, he did not see it crash. During the battle Dundas was hit in the leg when a cannon round exploded in his cockpit, but flew again the next day. The Spitfire Dundas flew that day, R6915, still exists, having been preserved by the Imperial War Museum. By 9 October 1940, his score stood at 10 and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

A week later, on 15 October 1940, Dundas destroyed another Bf 110 in P9503 at 14,000 feet (4,300 m) over Christchurch, Dorset. Evading a Bf 109 attack, Dundas' radio failed and he was unable to re-group his section. Noticing Bf 110s above at 18,000–20,000 feet (5,500–6,100 m) he climbed to attack; his victim crashed at Bournemouth. He was then chased by a pair of Bf 109s but evaded them. His victory was 609's 99th aerial victory.

It is believed Wick had shot down Baillon in a diving attack for his 56th aerial victory. Baillon managed to bail out, but was never recovered. Momentarily distracted, Wick flew across Dundas' path. Dundas fired a short burst, hitting Wick's Bf 109 at around 17:00 German time, over the sea near the Isle of Wight. It has also been suggested that Wick fell victim to Pilot Officer Eric Marrs, who also made a claim in the battle. Wick was seen to bail out of his aircraft, but he was not rescued and his body was never found. Moments later Dundas was probably shot down by Wick's wingman, Rudolf Pflanz who claimed a victory and saw the Spitfire crash into the sea with the pilot still inside. Like Wick, Dundas' body was never found. On 24 December 1940, Dundas was posthumously awarded a second DFC. It was announced on 7 January 1941 in the London Gazette with the citation:

One of the aircraft Dundas flew in combat, Supermarine Spitfire number R6915, still exists and is preserved in the Imperial War Museum in London. In this aircraft, he claimed a probable kill over a Bf 110 on 7 October 1940.

A list of Dundas' claims from 31 May – 28 November 1940.

John Dundas was well respected by his peers and he frequently flew his commanding officer's Hind. However, on 18 June 1939, Dundas was flying this aircraft when it suffered an engine failure on take-off. Without the power to get airborne, it crashed through the airfield fence and finished up in the garden of a neighbouring house. It was subsequently written off.

The squadron was converted from a bomber to a fighter aircraft squadron and later, in August 1939, re-equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire. Dundas' younger brother Hugh was also a fighter pilot. Hugh was wounded in August 1940 but recovered and eventually rose to the rank of group captain. He survived the war and died in 1995.

Born in West Yorkshire as the son of an aristocrat, Dundas was an able student and academic. After graduating from Christ Church, Oxford, he became a journalist and joined a newspaper in his home county. After two years, Dundas tired of life as a reporter and joined the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF) in July 1938, being commissioned as pilot officer in No. 609 (West Riding) Squadron and trained as a pilot at his own expense.

The newspaper sent him to Czechoslovakia during the Munich Crisis as a part of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's entourage in 1938 before travelling to Rome to report on a meeting between Benito Mussolini, Chamberlain and Lord Halifax, the Foreign Secretary, to whom Dundas was related.

In July 1938, at the age of 23, Dundas was commissioned as a pilot officer in No. 609 Squadron RAF, a Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron. Hugh and John's godfather had set up the unit. At that time, the squadron was manned by part-time civilians and was equipped with Hawker Hind bombers.

John Charles Dundas, DFC & Bar (19 August 1915 – 28 November 1940) was a Royal Air Force fighter pilot and flying ace of the Second World War credited with 12 victories.

John Charles Dundas was born in West Yorkshire in 1915. He was related to two aristocratic families in the region; he was the grandson of the Scottish Liberal politician John Dundas and the great-grandson of Lawrence Dundas, 1st Earl of Zetland. Dundas was also related to the House of Halifax.