John Dundas ( RAF officer ) John Charles Dundas , DFC & Bar ( 19 August 1915 – 28 November 1940 ) was a British Second World War fighter pilot and flying ace — a title awarded to a pilot credited with shooting down at least five enemy aircraft in aerial combat . Born in West Yorkshire in 1915 , the son of an aristocrat , Dundas was an able student and academic . After his graduation at the age of 21 , and the completion of his studies , he became a journalist and joined a newspaper in his home county . After two years , Dundas tired with life as a reporter , Dundas joined the Royal Auxiliary Air Force ( RAAF ) in July 1938 and trained as a pilot at his own expense . His pilot training was complete in 1939 . In May 1940 his unit , No . 609 Squadron RAF , 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 his 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 . 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 , over the English Channel . Wick was never seen again . Moments later Dundas was also shot down into the sea . Like Wick , Dundas was not seen again . Early life . 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 . Dundas won a scholarship to Stowe School at the age of 12 . At the age of 17 he won a second scholarship to Christ Church College at Oxford University . Dundas graduated with a First Class Degree in Modern History before winning a further award that allowed him to study at both Sorbonne and the University of Heidelberg . Dundas subsequently became a journalist for the " Yorkshire Post " and its editorial staff . Another who worked on the paper at the time , Richard Pape , recalled him as a man indifferent to his personal appearance , who wore frayed trousers , frequently had ink - stained hands and would spill beer over himself when drinking , yet who was also popular with the newspaper ' s younger , female staff members . The newspaper sent him to Czechoslovakia during the Munich Crisis as apart 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 . It was converted from a bomber to a fighter aircraft squadron and later , in August 1939 , re - equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire . John Dundas was well respected by his peers and he frequently flew his Commanding Officer ' s Hind . Dundas ' younger brother Hugh Dundas was also a fighter pilot . Hugh was wounded in August 1940 but recovered and eventually rose to the rank of Group Captain . Hugh survived the war and died in 1995 . Second World War . Battle of France . 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 30 May , he flew his first patrol . The following day his squadron was put on 30 minutes readiness at RAF North Weald from 12 : 30 pm . At 14 : 00 His Squadron took off , headed for Dunkirk at and engaged the enemy for the first time . In the next patrol , flying " L1096 " , Dundas engaged a German bomber formation and destroyed a Heinkel He 111 and a Dornier Do 17 . Dundas did not score again during the Battle of France . Battle of Britain . Over the next few weeks 609 Squadron had moved from RAF Northolt to RAF Middle Wallop . It was from here Dundas gained his first victory of the Battle of Britain . On 13 July , as Section Leader , Dundas led a patrol over a convoy . Failing to find the convoy the Spitfires engaged German aircraft at near Portland , England . Flying in " R6634 " Dundas led a diving attack out of the sun against Messerschmitt Bf 110 s . Dundas claimed a Bf 110 destroyed though the damaged aircraft and its wounded pilot , " Leutnant " Krebitz , made it back to France , where the Bf 110 was severely damaged in a crash – landing . In late July Dundas escaped with his life when night - flying – coming into land , his wing struck an artillery emplacement , but he landed without injury . Over the next few days , Dundas fought continuous battles with German formations . He noted the growing intensity of the air battles and assumed responsibility for the units War Diary in August . In which he remarked ; So far as 609 was concerned , the Nazi blitz began on the 8th August . . . Four pilots engaged and accounted for five huns . 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 . Dundas and two other Spitfires ( including his wingman ) lost contact with his Squadron . He saw nine Hawker Hurricane s below and in mid - Channel but also noticed contrails above and climbed up to investigate . The aircraft were Bf 110s , with Messerschmitt Bf 109 s 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 . The Bf 110 was likely from I . / " Zerstörergeschwader 2 " ( ZG 2 — Destroyer Wing 2 ) . On 12 August the battle was repeated against Bf 109s and Bf 110s over the same area . Dundas shot down another Bf 110 . Shaking off a Bf 109 , he damaged another but was forced to disengage as more German fighters closed in and fuel and ammunition had run low . His fifth victory now made him a flying ace . 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 : 30 609 Squadron was scrambled , with Dundas flying in " R6690 " as Number Four in Red Section . At he spotted German fighters . Red Leader could not see the enemy and instructed Dundas to take the lead . Climbing into the sun at , Dundas saw Junkers Ju 87 " Stuka " dive - bombers below him . Attacking he shot down one of the Ju 87s from " Sturzkampfgeschwader 2 " ( StG 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 . The following day , 14 August , 609 was patrolling Boscombe Down at . Flying Spitfire " R6961 " , Dundas damaged a Bf 110 before it escaped into cloud . Directed onto a formation of Do 17s soon after he damaged one bomber before taking hits from defensive fire . Returning to base , Dundas spotted a He 111 with its wheels down and made a brief attack that caused it to crash south - west of his airfield . The machine belonged to the " Stab Staffel " from " Kampfgeschwader 55 " ( KG 55 — Bomber Wing 55 ) . Dundas did not make another claim until the 15 September , a date known as Battle of Britain Day . In the morning , piloting " R6922 " damaged a Do 17 , knocking out one of its engines . Flying another Spitfire , " X4107 " , shared a Do 17 with his wingmen — Pilot Officer Mike Appleby and American pilot Vernon Keogh . On 24 September , he damaged a Do 17 while destroying a Bf 110 in " X4472 " . In the same Spitfire Dundas claimed a Bf 109 shot down on 26 September and damaged another Do 17 . The following day he claimed a Bf 110 destroyed near Bristol . 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 award the Distinguished Flying Cross . A week later on 15 October 1940 Dundas destroyed another Bf 110 in " P9503 " at 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 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 609s 99th aerial victory . Channel Front and last battle . By now Dundas was recognised as the highest scoring pilot of the unit , he was highly regarded by his comrades and was well - liked . He passed on experience to younger pilots and was always willing to discuss tactics , particularly with Squadron Leader Michael Robinson . Dundas , even by this early stage in the war , was the only member of the original ' A ' ( Auxiliary ) pilots still with 609 . Dundas lamented the few who remained were the " sole champions of the Auxiliary attitude " . On 27 November , a Ju 88 was reported near Southampton . Dundas asked permission to intercept but was refused . Approaching his Squadron Leader , Dundas asked to take his Section up for a practice flight ; Robinson did not expecting anything untoward and gave permission . At Dundas ' Section made contact , chasing the German over the Isle of Wight at full throttle – reaching 2 , 600 revs . The Ju 88 had a healthy head start . But Dundas closed with it and got to within , off Cherbourg , France . Dundas fired " X4586 ' s " guns for five seconds while the German gunners put up a determined defence . The Ju 88 ' s port engine caught fire and it dived down steeply , out of control . Now in sight of an airfield filled with Bf 109s , Dundas decided to retreat . He was credited with a probable victory upon his return . The next day , the 28 November , was busy for 609 Squadron . Several scrambles and alerts came through against Bf 109s . The last came at approximately 15 : 30 Greenwich Mean Time . Dundas was once again piloting " X4586 " . Two squadrons , 152 Squadron and 609 made contact with Bf 109s from " Jagdgeschwader 2 " ( JG 2 — Fighter Wing 2 ) , led by the most successful German ace of the war thus far — Helmut Wick . Minutes after contact had been made and the battle joined , Flight Lieutenant Fieldsend heard the familiar voice of Dundas shout " I ' ve finished a 109 — Whoopee ! " . Squadron Leader Robinson congratulated Dundas but nothing was heard from Dundas , or his wingman Pilot Officer Paul A . Baillon , flying " R6631 " . 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 the British ace ' 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 been suggested 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 likely 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 " . Memorial and " R6915 " . 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 . 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 . List of victories . A list of Dundas ' claims from 31 May – 28 November 1940 .