The Pilots of 41 Squadron
RAF, 1939-1946
Surnames Commencing with D
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| Name |
DARLING,
Edward Vivian 'Birdie' |
| Number |
740608 / 65979 |
| Rank |
Sergeant Pilot / Pilot Officer |
| Nationality |
British |
| Born |
Wellington, India, 11 October
1914 |
| Arrived |
17 December 1939 |
| Departed |
12 June 1941 |
| Decorations |
DFC (1941) |
| Notes |
Commissioned January 1941; KIA,
2 June 1942; remembered on Panel 65 of the Runnymede Memorial |
| Name |
DAVIDSON, John Sharpe |
| Number |
401775 |
| Rank |
Sergeant Pilot |
| Nationality |
Australian |
| Born |
Yarragon, Victoria, Australia,
3 January 1922 |
| Arrived |
26 November 1942 |
| Departed |
30 January 1943 |
| Decorations |
MiD (1946) |
| Notes |
Commissioned Jun 1943; discharged as Flt Lt, Dec 1945;
died Perth, Western Australia, 1991 |
| Name |
DAVIES,
David Douglas 'Daibach' |
| Number |
122377 |
| Rank |
Pilot Officer, Flying Officer |
| Nationality |
British |
| Born |
Ammanford, Carmarthenshire,
Wales, 18 August 1920 |
| Arrived |
18 November 1942 |
| Departed |
1 August 1943 (last
mentioned on this date) |
| Notes |
Commission relinquished on account
of ill health, retaining Fg Off, Feb 1944 |
| Name |
DOWNING,
William George 'Bill' |
| Number |
649040 |
| Rank |
Flight Sergeant |
| Nationality |
British |
| Born |
Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire,
6 March 1920 |
| Arrived |
3 November 1942 |
| Departed |
7 June 1943 |
| Notes |
Initially Staff Pilot with 41 Sqn; shot down in 229 Sqn Spitfire,
8m S of Riposto, Italy, and captured; commissioned 1951; retired
July 1968, retaining Sqn Ldr; died Northampton, 11 February 2010 |
| Name |
DRAPER,
Gilbert Graham Fairley |
| Number |
42742 |
| Rank |
Pilot Officer, Flying Officer,
Flight Lieutenant |
| Nationality |
British |
| Born |
Rutland, 7 December 1921 |
| Term 1 |
30 September-30 October 1940 |
| Term 2 |
6 March-7 August 1941 |
| Notes |
Commissioned Oct 1939;
shot down and wounded, 30 Oct 1940; shot
down, baled out and captured near Lille, France, 7 August 1941; released
1945; died 1997 |
| Name |
DUCHATEAU,
Roger 'Chat' |
| Number |
135896 |
| Rank |
Flying Officer, Flight Lieutenant |
| Nationality |
Belgian |
| Born |
Wonck (Liege), Belgium, 1 June
1914 |
| Term 1 |
25 May-9 June 1943 (349
Squadron, 10 Jun.-2 Aug. 1943) |
| Term 2 |
3 August-24 November 1943 (att.
RAF Hawarden, 14-17 Nov.
1943) |
| Decorations |
Knight & Officer in the Order
of the Crown, Knight in the Order of Leopold II, Knight in the Order of
Leopold, Commemorative Medal 1940-1945 with crossed swords, Medal of Military
Combatant 1940-1945, and Croix des Evades (all Belgian decorations) |
| Notes |
Discharged from RAF and joined
Belgian Air Force, Oct 1946; Ministry of Colonies, Jul 1950-Oct
1953; died Tenerife, 21 January 1989 |
| Name |
DUCKWORTH,
Robert |
| Number |
1425494 |
| Rank |
Sergeant Pilot |
| Nationality |
British |
| Born |
Accrington, Lancashire, 7 February 1920 |
| Arrived |
19 January 1943 |
| Departed |
14 February 1943 |
| Notes |
Died in Warrington, 16 October 1943,
from severe injuries sustained in flying accident in 285 Sqn Oxford
X7280 during anti-aircraft cooperation course near Woodvale Airfield, 7
May 1943, aged 23 (poss on 195 Sqn at the time);
son of William and Lillie Duckworth of Alvaston, Derby; buried in
St. Michael Churchyard, Alvaston |
| Name |
DUNSTAN,
Bruce Paul |
| Number |
1256932 |
| Rank |
Sergeant Pilot |
| Nationality |
Born in Australia to British
parents; to UK at age 4 |
| Born |
Chelsea, Victoria, Australia,
11 September 1920 |
| Arrived |
16 January 1942 |
| Departed |
12 February 1942 |
| Notes |
Returned early from shipping
operations with engine trouble, but failed to arrive (missing, presumed dead), exact fate
unknown, 12 February 1942, aged 21; son of Horace J. & Helene J. Dunstan
of Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex; remembered on Panel 82 of the Runnymede Memorial
& on Australian War Memorial |
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