William Durrand Jr.
William Durrand Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 May 1885 Wick, Caithness, Scotland |
| Died | 12 October 1939 (aged 54) Kenmore, New York, U.S. |
| Allegiance | Canada United Kingdom |
| Service/ | Canadian Expeditionary Force Royal Flying Corps |
| Years of service | 1916–1919 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | No. 20 Squadron RFC |
| Awards | Military Cross |
Lieutenant William Durrand Jr. (4 May 1885 – 12 October 1939) was a Canadian flying ace from World War I. He was credited with eight aerial victories.[1]
Infantry service[edit]
Durrand enlisted in the Canadian military on 11 March 1916.[1] On 30 August 1916, Sergeant William Durrand of the 66th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force was commissioned a Temporary Second Lieutenant with the Royal Flying Corps.[2]
Aerial service[edit]
On 1 March 1917 appointed flying officer while still temporary second lieutenant.[3] He was then assigned to No. 20 Squadron RFC to pilot a Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2d. He scored his first victory on 8 June 1917, with Edward Sayers manning the observer's guns. Durrand scored three more wins while flying a FE.2, with number four coming on 21 September. He then upgraded to another two-seater fighter, the Bristol F.2, and scored again almost immediately, on the 27th, with observer William Benger as his gunner.[1] His next victory came on the first day he flew as Temporary Captain and Flight Commander on 17 October 1917.[4] Durrand scored twice more with the Bristol, ending his victory string on 8 November 1917. His final tally was two enemy planes driven down out of control, and six destroyed (including one shared with Reginald Makepeace).[1][5]
Postwar[edit]
He was transferred to the Royal Air Force unemployed list on 18 May 1919.[6]
Awards[edit]
Awarded the Military Cross on 17 December 1917.[7]
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b c d "William Durand". The Aerodrome. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ "No. 29741". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 September 1916. p. 8878.
- ^ "No. 29994". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 March 1917. p. 2828.
- ^ "No. 30361". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 November 1916. p. 11277.
- ^ Bristol F 2 Fighter Aces of World War I, p. 146.
- ^ "No. 31458". The London Gazette. 15 July 1919. pp. 9003–4.
- ^ "No. 30431". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 December 1916. pp. 13181–2.
References[edit]
- Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
- Guttman, Jon (2007). Bristol F 2 Fighter Aces of World War I. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-201-1.