16 May 1920 – 31 May 1942

'Andy' Duncan was born in Government House, Pretoria, on 16 May 1920, son of the Governor General, Sir Patrick Duncan.

He joined the Active Citizen Force at the outbreak of war and began pilot training as a Second Lieutenant in the SAAF, qualifying as a pilot in December.

He was posted to 1 SAAF Squadron in May 1940.

On 20 September Major Schalk van Schalkwyk with Second Lieutenants Leonard le Clues Theron and Duncan strafed Tessenei airfield. A Ca.133 was reported damaged on the ground.

On 18 October 1940 three Gladiators of 1 SAAF Squadron, flown by Captain Boyle, Lieutenant Pare and Lieutenant Duncan, approached Barentu airfield at 100 feet to see three CR.42s of the 412^a Squadriglia about to take off, and dispersed around the field a S.79 and five Ca133s. Attacking the formation, the South Africans set all three fighters on fire and then broke up to strafe the bombers individually, claiming hits on all of them. A subsequent army report claimed that all six multi-engined aircraft were destroyed in addition to the fighters, but this is not confirmed from Italian records, although it is likely that some, or all, may have been slightly damaged. However, such damage could have not have been important, for no mention of it was made in the wire reporting the destruction of the CR.42s. To congratulate the fighter detachment at Azzoza, General Heath sent a present of champagne!

On 1 November three Gladiators (Captain Brian Boyle and Lieutenants Robin Pare and Duncan) of 1 SAAF Squadron escorted bomb-carrying Gauntlets of 430 Flight to targets in the northern areas of Eritrea and Ethiopia. At the same time Italian Caproni Ca.133s were out to bomb British troops in the Gallabat area. One of the Ca.133s was spotted passing overhead by the South African fighters. Lieutenant Pare climbed unseen to make an astern attack, followed by a beam pass and the bomber dived steeply and crashed; two of the crew was seen to get out but both were wounded, as were all other members of the crew save one, who was killed.
The South African biplanes continued to their target, all of them attacking at low level in the face of heavy return fire. All of them were hit but they all returned safely to Azzoza.

On 3 November, Lieutenant Duncan possibly damaged one of two S.79s that he intercepted over Kumbina.

On an early patrol on 4 November over Metemma three Gladiators from 1 SAAF Squadron were attacked from above by four CR.42s from 412^a Squadriglia. The South Africans swiftly turned the tables, Lieutenant L. leC. Theron shooting down one from which the pilot baled out, while Captain Brian Boyle and Lieutenant Duncan claimed two more (Duncan’s was not confirmed). The Italian pilots claimed to have shot down one Gladiator and reported the loss only of the aircraft shot down by Theron.

On the 6 November, the British forces in Sudan launched an offensive to capture the Italian fort at Gallabat as well as occupy Metemma, which was just across the frontier. All that the RAF could provide in way of support was six Wellesleys, two Vincents, six Gauntlets, ten Gladiators (drawn from ‘K’ Flight and 1 SAAF Squadron) and four Hawker Hardys (from the Rhodesian Air Force). The Wellesleys were first into action bombing Gallabat, with the Gladiators requested to over fly the area in large formations. Three Gladiators of ‘K’ Flight arrived over the advancing troops at low level. They were patrolling to the east of Metemma when a formation of an estimated six or seven CR.42s from 412^a Squadriglia led by the unit commander Capitano Raffi attacked them from out of the sun. The Gladiator pilots were taken by surprise; 24-year-old Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Howard Savage (RAF no. 37483) (L7614) was shot down and killed while Pilot Officer Kirk (K7969) was forced to take to his parachute; neither pilot saw their attacker. Pilot Officer J. Hamlyn evaded the initial onslaught but his aircraft (L7612) was badly damaged and he force-landed, returning later on foot.
Meanwhile Major Schalk van Schalkwyk (N5855) of 1 SAAF Squadron had also taken off from Azzoza, but on arriving over the front was also attacked by the CR.42s. Observers on the ground at once rang the strip at ‘Heston’ to report the lone Gladiator in combat with eight opponents, and despite thick mud caused by an unexpected downpour during the night, Captain Brian Boyle at once took off, arriving just in time to see the commanding officer's Gladiator going down in flames, the pilot taking to his parachute with his clothes on fire; he did not survive. Immediately Boyle was also attacked, bullets entering the cockpit and wounding him in hands and legs; desperately he fought on until the engine of N5852 stopped, and he had to crash-land between the lines. Boyle was brought in by Indian troops and sent by ambulance to Wadi Seidna where he was hospitalised for some weeks. He was subsequently warded a DFC (1 SAAF Squadron’s first) on 7 January 1941 for his gallant action in going single-handed to van Schalkwyk’s assistance.
Capitano Raffi reported that four victories were claimed as a result of these engagements, but Sottotenente Rosmino's aircraft was hit and he returned with his parachute pack riddled with bullets.
During the morning another ‘K’ Flight Gladiator was flown up to the front, and shortly after midday Flying Officer Haywood (K7977) joined four Gladiators of 1 SAAF Squadron from ‘Heston’, which took off at 13:20 in another patrol over the front. There five Ca.133s were seen at 7,000 feet, 2,000 feet lower than the Gladiators, approaching the battle area. As the fighters prepared to attack, they were bounced from above by six CR.42s and Haywood’s aircraft was seen to crash in flames. The South Africans at once split up into pairs, Lieutenants John Coetzer and Robin Pare taking on the fighters while Lieutenants Duncan and John Hewitson went after the bombers. The Caproni attacked by Duncan crashed on the Metemma-Gondar road, while Hewitson’s fell out of control after he’d fired three burst and crashed; he also damaged a third bomber on the ground. The crew of one of the shot-down bombers survived, and was to return on foot several days later.
While this was going on, the two pilots fighting the CR.42s had managed to drive them off, each claiming one of the fighters shot down; no losses of CR.42s were recorded however, although either or both of those attacked may have been damaged, and force-landed. Two more victories were claimed by the Italians to raise their total for the day to six, two or three of which were credited to Tenente Mario Visintini, who claimed two destroyed and one probable enemy aircraft in the Gondar area during the day.
By the end of the day, despite the loss of air superiority by the British forces, Gallabat Fort had been captured and the garrison virtually annihilated.

On 11 November Lieutenants John Coetzer, Duncan and Servaas de K. Viljoen set off for Gallabat to intercept bombers. West of the town they ran into eight enemy fighters instead. These were stepped up in echelon in three groups, 1524 meters above the three Gladiators. Despite tactical and numerical disadvantage, the South Africans attacked, chasing two of the Fiats down to ground level before they escaped, while the rest made one pass on the Gladiators and then fled.
It seems that the Gladiators had clashed with Fiat CR.42s from the 412^a Squadriglia, which returned claiming one Gladiator shot down and two more as probables.
One Gladiator returned damaged by a single explosive bullet.

On the morning on 27 January 1941, six Hurricanes and six Gladiators of 1 SAAF Squadron, using Sabderat as an advanced landing ground for refuelling, attacked Gura airfield during the day, many aircraft being seen there. While Major Wilmot, Lieutenant Theron and a third pilot remained above as top cover, the other nine strafed, claiming hits on nine S.79s, seven S.81s and three Ca.133s.
The Gladiators taking part in the strafe were led by Captain Brian Boyle (Gladiator N5815) and the other five pilots were Lieutenants Servaas de K. Viljoen, Robin Pare, Duncan, John Coetzer and Taylor. Hurricane pilots included Major Wilmot, Captain K. W. Driver, Lieutenant John Hewitson and Lieutenant Leonard le Clues Theron.
After the strafe at Gura, Captain Driver and Lieutenant Hewitson continued to Adi Ugri where Driver strafed four more S.81s, claiming damaged to two of them. Hewitson meanwhile strafed other ground target.
The Italians reported that three S.79s and four S.81 were substantially damaged.

At 14:45 on 28 January, Lieutenants Duncan and Hendrik Johannes Piet Burger (Hurricane V7622) scrambled to intercept an unidentified number of aircraft over Agordat. Two CR.42s bounced Duncan and another attacked Burger. Both managed to evade but not before Burger´s Hurricane was damaged.

At 08:15 on 30 January, Captain K. W. Driver of 1 SAAF Squadron led three other Hurricanes (Lieutenants John Hewitson, Duncan and Leonard le Clues Theron) to Adi Ugri to attack three S.81, which were left from an attack the previous day. Diving down, he set one of the bombers on fire, and Lieutenant Duncan burned a second and claimed a second shared destroyed on the ground. Actually all three were already beyond repair, and were being employed as dummies to attract just such an attack.
Lieutenant John Hewitson strafed a pair of S.79s at Teramni.
The Hurricanes landed again at 09:30.

On 3 February six Gladiators from 1 SAAF Squadron flew forward to a new landing strip called ‘Pretoria’ early in the morning where they refuelled. Five of them (Captain Brian Boyle (N5824), Lieutenant Duncan, Lieutenant Robin Pare, Lieutenant Servaas de K. Viljoen and Lieutenant H. P. Smith) took off again at 11:45 to strafe airfields in the Gondar area, to the south. A landing site was spotted to the south of Azozo on which five Ca.l33s were bombed up. The Gladiators attacked and claimed all five in flames. The Italians reported only one as actually destroyed in this attack.
Seeing CR.42s scrambling from Azozo, they flew over to investigate and Boyle, Pare, Viljoen and Smith claimed a shared damaged S.81 on the ground there when they reported that they had shot the wing off it while Lieutenant Duncan chased after a CR.42. The Gladiators were then attacked by Fiats and a big dogfight began. In the combat Captain Boyle claimed a Fiat shot down. Boyle reported that his claim was made towards the end of the dogfight and he was so close to the Fiat that he saw the enemy pilot clearly as he tried to bale out before crashing into the mountains.
Sergente Maggiore Enzo Omiccioli was shot down and killed in this combat. Reportedly he had scrambled alone.
The Gladiators then carried out a reconnaissance in the area, looking for reported Italian movements. On return, Lieutenant Smith crashed on landing at Azaza when starboard tyre burst and the aircraft slewed onto its side while Boyle suffered a flat tyre from the fight.

In the morning on 13 February 1941, five Hurricanes of 1 SAAF Squadron patrolled over Asmara, intercepting five fighters which they identified as CR.42s. Major Wilmot saw one evade a Hurricane and stall and he fired on this, causing the engine to stop and black smoke to issue forth. Captain Brian Boyle then attacked this aircraft and set it on fire, the pilot baling out and the fighter crashing east of Asmara. Lieutenant Duncan saw another Fiat in cloud and dived vertically on it. From this too the pilot baled out, the aircraft crashing in flames 12 miles south-east of the town. Captain Driver attacked another, but lost it in cloud, while a fourth was attacked by other pilots but escaped.
One of the fighters shot down was indeed a CR.42 of the 412^a Squadriglia, the pilot being badly wounded; he is believed to have been Tenente Luigi De Pol, who later died in hospital. The second aircraft lost was a CR.32 (the last available in Eritrea) from which the pilot, Tenente Bossi, baled out. However, it was reported that he was machine gunned in his parachute by a Hurricane, and on landing was rushed to hospital where an arm and a leg was amputated, but he died shortly afterwards (it is also very possible that he was seriously wounded before baling out). Three more CR.42 were damaged in this combat, and one had to force-land, the pilot having been slightly wounded.

15 Wellesleys of 47 and 223 Squadrons raided Gura airfield on 16 February, escorted by six of 1 SAAF Squadron's Hurricanes flown by Major Laurence Wilmot, Captain Kenneth Driver, Captain Brian Boyle, Lieutenant Duncan, Lieutenant Dirk Uys and Lieutenant Adriaan Botha. The escort also strafed the airfield and claimed two S.79s burnt on the ground.

After 10:00 in the morning on 19 February, Major Laurence Wilmot led an escort of five Hurricanes (Captain Kenneth Driver, Captain Brian Boyle (V7711), Lieutenant Duncan, Lieutenant Dirk Uys and Lieutenant Adriaan Botha) from 1 SAAF Squadron to six Wellesleys bombing Asmara, following which the five Hurricanes went down to strafe, claiming three S.79s, two CR.42s and a pair of Ca.133s set on fire.
Actually it seems that one CR.42, one S.79 and two Ca.133s were burned.

On 23 February 1941, seven Hurricanes of 1 SAAF Squadron flew forward to Tole where they refuelled. In the afternoon three took off to strafe Makele landing ground, while the other four, which were to provided top cover, also escorted a Vickers Wellesley, which was to attack the same target. The bomber became lost, but Major L. A. Wilmot, leading the lower section of three Hurricanes, saw dust rising over to his left, and heading for this, arrived over Makele where the fighters at once began shooting up the airfield. They set fire to a CR.32, which was on the ground with its pilot Sottotenente Forcheri of the 410^a Squadriglia in the cockpit, about to take off. He leapt out under fire and managed to reach a trench.
Without their top cover the Hurricanes were vulnerable to surprise attack, and at that moment another CR.32, with Sottotenente Alberto Veronese at the controls, appeared overhead and dived on Major Wilmot’s aircraft, shooting it down. Lieutenant Duncan was on him like a flash and shot him down in flames. Veronese managed to parachute to safety, slightly wounded.
Wilmot had in the meantime carried out a crash-landing, and became a POW. Captain K. W. Driver, leading the four top-cover Hurricanes, now saw smoke rising, and dived down to join the strafing, five S.79s being set on fire.

On 26 February he made an offensive reconnaissance on his own over Zula airfield. There he saw a Savoia S.82, which had just arrived from Italy, and attacked this, setting it ablaze. He also fired on a hangar close by, and this blew up violently.

He was promoted to Captain in late February 1941.

At 05.15 on 21 March three 1 SAAF Squadron Hurricanes took off on an offensive reconnaissance, and 15 minutes later four more followed to patrol over Keren, while a Lysander of 237 Squadron set out on an artillery observation mission. The Lysander, R1988, flown by Flight Lieutenant G. A. Smith, was attacked by five CR.42s and damaged, the pilot being slightly wounded. The gunner, Sergeant A. K. Murrell, DFM, claimed to have damaged one of the attackers in return.
The four Hurricanes on patrol spotted four CR.42s in line astern and attacked. Captain Driver hit the third aircraft in line and saw it crash. Lieutenant Robin Pare meanwhile had chased the last fighter in the line, but it escaped. He them attacked the second, which crashed in flames, the pilot bailing out. The leading Fiat then attacked him head on, and they became involved in a dogfight, which ended with the CR.42 crashing four miles north of Kerena and bursting into flames.
The Italians reported that two CR.42s were shot down, while a third fighter was damaged. This returned to Asmara, but while landing was strafed by Captain Duncan in one of the three Hurricanes that had taken off first.
The Italian pilots claimed both Smith’s Lysander and Driver’s Hurricane shot down.
That evening Duncan’s DFC award was announced.

On 5 April 1941 1 SAAF Squadron flew its last mission over Eritrea when five Hurricanes strafed Gondar, where all suffered damage from small arms fire. Duncan strafed an S.81 on the ground at Azozo, claiming to have destroyed it.

From Sudan 1 SAAF Squadron, having claimed 48 victories in the air and 53 aircraft destroyed on the ground for the loss of six pilots killed to all causes, took its Hurricanes to Egypt on 6 April 1941.

He returned to the Union later in April, and was posted to 5 SAAF Squadron on 25 June as a flight commander.

In March 1942 the unit began operations over the Western Desert,

On 5 March 1942 5 SAAF Squadron had their first combat when Captain Duncan and Lieutenant Thornhill-Cook on convoy patrol attacked and shot down a Ju88 of I/KLG1, which crashed in flames, three members of the crew baling out.
Pilots of 1 SAAF Squadron saw this combat and captured the survivors from the bomber.

During a convoy patrol on the afternoon on 6 May Duncan probably destroyed a Ju88.

On 31 May he was promoted to take over command of the unit from Major Jack Frost.
He claimed one Bf109 shot down that day, but in the evening was shot down south of Acroma by Oberleutnant Otto Schulz of II/JG27, his body never being found.

At his death Duncan was credited with 1 biplane victory and a total of 4.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1940
	18/10/40		1/3	CR.42	Shared destroyed on the ground	Gladiator		Barentu	1 SAAF Squadron
	18/10/40		1/3	CR.42	Shared destroyed on the ground	Gladiator		Barentu	1 SAAF Squadron
	18/10/40		1/3	CR.42	Shared destroyed on the ground	Gladiator		Barentu	1 SAAF Squadron
	18/10/40		1/3	S.79	Shared damaged on the ground	Gladiator		Barentu	1 SAAF Squadron
	18/10/40		1/3	Ca.133	Shared damaged on the ground	Gladiator		Barentu	1 SAAF Squadron
	18/10/40		1/3	Ca.133	Shared damaged on the ground	Gladiator		Barentu	1 SAAF Squadron
	18/10/40		1/3	Ca.133	Shared damaged on the ground	Gladiator		Barentu	1 SAAF Squadron
	18/10/40		1/3	Ca.133	Shared damaged on the ground	Gladiator		Barentu	1 SAAF Squadron
	18/10/40		1/3	Ca.133	Shared damaged on the ground	Gladiator		Barentu	1 SAAF Squadron
	04/11/40		1	CR.42 (a)	Unconfirmed	Gladiator II		Metemma	1 SAAF Squadron
1	06/11/40		1	Ca.133	Destroyed	Gladiator II		Metemma-Gondor road	1 SAAF Squadron
	1941
	30/01/41	08:15-09:30	1	S.81 (b)	Destroyed on the ground	Hurricane I		Adi Ugri	1 SAAF Squadron
	30/01/41	08:15-09:30	½	S.81 (b)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Hurricane I		Adi Ugri	1 SAAF Squadron
	03/02/41	11:45-	1/5	Ca.133 (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Gladiator		S Azozo	1 SAAF Squadron
	03/02/41	11:45-	1/5	Ca.133 (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Gladiator		S Azozo	1 SAAF Squadron
	03/02/41	11:45-	1/5	Ca.133 (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Gladiator		S Azozo	1 SAAF Squadron
	03/02/41	11:45-	1/5	Ca.133 (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Gladiator		S Azozo	1 SAAF Squadron
	03/02/41	11:45-	1/5	Ca.133 (c)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Gladiator		S Azozo	1 SAAF Squadron
2	13/02/41		1	CR.42 (d)	Destroyed	Hurricane I		12m SE Asmara	1 SAAF Squadron
	16/02/41		1/6	S.79	Shared destroyed on the ground	Hurricane		Gura airfield	1 SAAF Squadron
	16/02/41		1/6	S.79	Shared destroyed on the ground	Hurricane		Gura airfield	1 SAAF Squadron
	19/02/41	10:00-	1/5	S.79 (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Hurricane		Asmara airfield	1 SAAF Squadron
	19/02/41	10:00-	1/5	S.79 (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Hurricane		Asmara airfield	1 SAAF Squadron
	19/02/41	10:00-	1/5	S.79 (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Hurricane		Asmara airfield	1 SAAF Squadron
	19/02/41	10:00-	1/5	CR.42 (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Hurricane		Asmara airfield	1 SAAF Squadron
	19/02/41	10:00-	1/5	CR.42 (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Hurricane		Asmara airfield	1 SAAF Squadron
	19/02/41	10:00-	1/5	Ca.133 (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Hurricane		Asmara airfield	1 SAAF Squadron
	19/02/41	10:00-	1/5	Ca.133 (e)	Shared destroyed on the ground	Hurricane		Asmara airfield	1 SAAF Squadron
3	23/02/41		1	CR.32 (f)	Destroyed	Hurricane I		Makele	1 SAAF Squadron
	26/02/41		1	S.82	Destroyed on the ground	Hurricane I		Zula airfield	1 SAAF Squadron
	05/04/41		1	S.81	Damaged on the ground	Hurricane I		Azozo	1 SAAF Squadron
	1942
	05/03/42		½	Ju88 (g)	Shared destroyed	Tomahawk IIb	AN247	Maaten Bagush-Fuka	5 SAAF Squadron
	06/05/42		1	Ju88	Probable	Tomahawk IIb	AN247	over convoy	5 SAAF Squadron
4	31/05/42		1	Bf109F (h)	Destroyed	Tomahawk IIb	AN523 ‘R’	El Adem-Bir Hacheim	5 SAAF Squadron

Biplane victories: 1 destroyed, 1 unconfirmed, 8 shared destroyed on the ground, 6 shared damaged on the ground.
TOTAL: 4 and 1 shared destroyed, 1 probable, 1 unconfirmed, 2 and 18 shared destroyed on the ground, 1 and 6 shared damaged on the ground.
(a) Claimed in combat with CR.42s from 412^a Squadriglia, which lost one aircraft while claiming a Gladiator. 1 SAAF Squadron claimed three Fiats without losses (of which two were confirmed).
(b) Actually all aircraft claimed in this attack were already beyond repair, and were being employed as dummies to attract just such an attack.
(c) The Italians reported only one as actually destroyed in this attack.
(d) 1 SAAF Squadron claimed two aircraft in this combat. The Italians lost two aircraft; one CR.42 of 412^a Squadriglia (Tenente Luigi De Pol died in hospital of his wounds) and one CR.32 of 411^a Squadriglia (Tenente Bossi died in hospital of his wounds). Three more CR.42s were damaged.
(e) Totally during the day it seems that one CR.42, one S.79 and two Ca.133s were burned on the ground against claims by 1 SAAF Squadron on three S.79s, three CR.42s and two Ca.133s.
(f) CR.32 of 410^a Squadriglia C.T. flown by Tenente Alberto Veronese, who had just shot down Major L.A. Wilmot; Veronese baled out, wounded.
(g) Ju88 of I/KLG1.
(h) Bf109F of II/JG27.

Sources:
Aces High - Christopher Shores and Clive Williams, 1994 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-898697-00-0
Dust Clouds in the Middle East - Christopher Shores, 1996 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-898697-37-X
Gloster Gladiator Home Page - Alexander Crawford.
Springbok Fighter Victory: East Africa Volume 1 1940 – 1941 – Michael Shoeman, 2002 African Aviation Series No. 11, Freeworld Publications CC, ISBN 0-958-4388-5-4
Additional information kindly provided by Giovanni Massimello.