A Rare & Emotive ROYAL FLYING CORPS (CASUALTY) MILITARY CROSS
To: 
Lieut HAROLD FORRESTER DUNCAN.
3rd/5th Highland Light Infantry & (70 Squadron) Royal Flying Corps. “SOPWITH STRUTTERS””
DIED OF WOUNDS 29th MARCH 1917.
LONDON GAZETTE 26th April 1917
EDINBURGH GAZETTE28th April 1917
ALSO INCLUDED ARE:
The Original Royal Condolence Telegram from King George V and Queen Mary, Buckingham Palace, 5th April 1917 . An officer’s pattern dark bronze RFC cap badge.
Also included is an exquisite 15carat gold double sided “sweetheart” lunette pendant with swivel top loop and containing enamelled portraits of the two uniformed Duncan brothers within an intricate foliate border set with emeralds & seed pearls. This suspended by a black silk mourning ribbon with miniature gold buckle. Professionally valued at £550.
Harold’s older brother, Lieutenant Alan M.Duncan, was also serving in France with the Highland Light Infantry.
His brother Alan’s medals for WW1 & WW2 are also included.
A Group of Nine, with Territorial Decoration (L.G. 3rd May 1935) Lt Col Alan Duncan died on 14th October 1948.
To:
Capt, Lieut-Colonel ALAN MELLISH DUNCAN
1st/5th (City of Glasgow) Bn & 1st/ 9th (Glasgow Highland)Bn, Highland Light Infantry.
FRANCE: 4th August 1916
An enamelled silver “DOULENNS” town crest brooch set into a page of an emotive and dedicated photo album of pictures of the temporary wooden cross grave marker in the Gezaincourt cemetery where Lt Harold Duncan rests. This appears to have been assembled when the Duncan family visited the grave soon after the Armistice.
Also ....A VERY RARE R.F.C. “Air Drop Message Weighted Multi-Coloured Streamer with message tab marked to 15th Corps.
[BIOGRAPHY] 1894–29th April 1916. Age 22.
Harold Forrester Duncan was born in Helensburgh in 1894, and was educated at Miss Johnston’s school, then Larchfield, and later at Sedbergh in Yorkshire.
Upon leaving school he gained employment with Messrs Bannatyne & Guthrie, Chartered Accountants in Glasgow, and later went into business with his father. Mr Duncan Senior was apparently in the tobacco importation business.
At the outbreak of war he and his brother Alan both obtained commissions as 2nd Lieutenants in the 5th (City of Glasgow) Highland Light Infantry and (LG.18th FEBRUARY 1915) Harold served with this regiment in France where he was promoted to Captain for bravery in the field.
In November 1916 he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in the rank of Lieutenant.
[WITH THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS IN FRANCE] From 24th May 1916.
The first flight of No.70 Squadron arrived in France at Fienvillers with their Sopwith Strutters on 24th May 1916 with the second arriving on 29th June 1916 and the third and final flight of ex-RNAS machines arriving on 30th July. Lt Duncan flew with the squadron throughout the summer of 1916 doing reconnaissance flights during Battle of The Somme.
[THE FINAL SORTIE] 24th MARCH 1917.
At around 06:30 on the morning of 24th March 1917, six two-seater Sopwith Strutter aircraft from 70 Squadron left on a reconnaissance mission over the Douai-Cambrai area near the Belgian border.
Around 08:00 they ran into twelve aircraft from the German Jasta 5 and Jasta 11 squadrons.
The aviators who formed these two enemy squadrons were just not the type of people one needed to meet while undertaking an early morning recce sortie, as both these units contained several of the top scoring and now world famous German air aces of WW1.
Flying with Jasta 11 that day was non other than “Red Baron” Manfred Fr Von Richthofen and his protege Lt Karl Schaefer who accounted for A1907 the 70 Squadron aircraft of Captain W.H. COSTELLO & Lt H.S. WHITESIDE who were both taken P.O.W. after being forced down behind the German front line.
In the case of Jasta 5, two of its pilots were the famous Werner Voss & non other than the later infamous Herman Göring.
The Sopwith Strutters attempted to fight their way back over the British lines, which was some 15 miles away, but in the ensuing 15-minutes of dog fighting, the Germans claimed two RFC aircraft and lost one of their own when Lieutenant C.R.Peter and Lieutenant Bernard Balfour in A2893 and Lieutenant H.Butler and Air Mechanic A.G.MacMillan in A1925 shot down Leutnant Renatus Theiller.
Both of the RFC aircraft were damaged in the fight with both Peter and MacMillan being injured, but all four crewmen and both machines got back to the British lines.
Pilot Captain Arthur Gerald Saxty and observer Lieutenant Harold Forrester Duncan in A956 were also attacked by the German aircraft but were less fortunate. Saxty was uninjured and flew the aircraft back to base, but Observer Lt Harold Duncan M.C. was very seriously wounded in the rear gunner-observers cockpit and died of his injuries five days later on 29th March, almost certainly at 139th Field Ambulance.
Three days later his father, Major John Forrester-Duncan, J.P., V.D., of Polkemmet, 6 Upper Colquhoun Street, was informed that his son had been wounded, and a further two days later that he had died from his injuries
Earlier, in about mid-February 1917, he had been awarded his Military Cross for a previous act of gallantry in the air during a similar combat action where although twice wounded and his gun having been put out of action, he survived the event and was still able to assist his pilot in avoiding enemy aircraft.
This earlier action, in February 1917 for which Lt Duncan was decorated & during which he was twice wounded, but survived, should not be confused with the later and ultimately fatal sortie of 24th March 1917.
His Military Cross which was awarded for the earlier action was later superbly engraved by the family with the place & date of his final fatal wounding: “LIEUT. H.F. DUNCAN. H.L.I. - R.F.C. FRANCE, 24th MARCH, 1917
The M.C. is superbly housed in a privately produced locking glazed case of polished hardwood which is surmounted with a miniature set of enamelled RFC wings & interior ribboning.
[CITATION]
The London Gazette of 26th April 1917 and the Edinburgh Gazette two days later on 28th carried the following citation: for this earlier action.
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an aerial combat. Although twice wounded, he continued firing until his gun was hit and put out of action. He then kept in communication with his pilot during the remainder of the action, and continually informed him as to the whereabouts of hostile aircraft.”
A report of Harold’s death in The Helensburgh and Gareloch Times said:
“He was well known and deservedly popular in the town, where such a sad termination to a promising career has caused much regret, which has been accentuated in the fact of his recent engagement to Miss Young of Dunalwayn of 2 West Abercromby Street.
“The deepest sympathy of their fellow citizens is extended to her and to Major and Mrs Duncan, the parents, and the many other sorrowing relatives of the deceased officer.”
His father, himself an ex-commissioned officer and who had a very long connection with the Dumbartonshire Rifles and Territorial Force, was in fact training one of the battalions of the Glasgow Volunteer Regiment when he received word of his son’s death.
The following year he was elected Provost of Helensburgh, in which role he served until 1927.
The Reverand C.B.Beard, minister of St Michael and All Angels Scottish Episcopal Church, said in church a few days later:
“Ours is a fresh grief keenly felt by many hearts amongst us in the death on active service of Harold Forrester Duncan.His spiritual home was in this congregation of Christ’s flock. Here in this House of God he was baptised, confirmed, and made his first Communion.So we thought of him specially as one of our very own boys, and we loved him for his quiet, simple manliness, as he reasonably ordered his life, ready for its duties and also ready to enter with zest into its happy enjoyments. That is just what is natural, and he was entirely bright in his pastimes and companionships and social relationships, but there were manifest in his character many gifts of the Spirit in bright, happy wisdom, in understanding and strength and unaffected godliness, and these had a very definite influence upon those who knew him.The story of his conduct in the conflict when he received his mortal wounds is a story of like gallantry with that of all our boys who have fallen in battle.
On his last Sunday when he was home on leave, at the early hour he knelt at our altar rail to receive the heavenly bread of God’s board, quietly to renew his ‘sacramentum’, his soldier’s oath, to Christ.
As today we commend his soul to Almighty God, and we offer our deepest sympathy to those to whom he was inexpressibly dear, we would ask that theirs may be the pride of a name added to our country’s Roll of Honour, and the consolation of one who has entered into the gladness of fuller life.”
Harold was buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Communal Cemetery Extension at Gezaincourt, a village in the Somme. The gentleman in this picture at left is thought to be Harold’s Father. Harold Duncan’s permanent CWG headstone bears the chosen inscription of: “LOVE THAN DEATH ITSELF MORE STRONG”
In 1922, his father, as Provost officially unveiled the Helensburgh Cenotaph in Hermitage Park, which still carries the name of his son.
At this ceremony he stated that, ‘ This monument is a poignant yet striking reminder of the dreadful carnage of the First World War, while yet forming an appropriate means by which the community can pay its respects to the fallen”.
He told the gathered townsfolk. ”Fellow citizens, this is without a doubt the most historic as well as the most solemn and memorable day in the annals of this Burgh.”
Harold is also remembered with honour on the St. Michael’s Church Roll of Honour, Larchfield School Memorial, Sedbergh School Cloisters, the Scottish National War Memorial and the Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 40.
A VERY EXCEPTIONAL GROUPING
£3250 CALL US TODAY ....ON .....01342-870926
Lieut HAROLD FORRESTER DUNCAN.
3rd/5th Highland Light Infantry & (70 Squadron) Royal Flying Corps. “SOPWITH STRUTTERS””
DIED OF WOUNDS 29th MARCH 1917.
LONDON GAZETTE 26th April 1917
EDINBURGH GAZETTE28th April 1917
ALSO INCLUDED ARE:
The Original Royal Condolence Telegram from King George V and Queen Mary, Buckingham Palace, 5th April 1917 . An officer’s pattern dark bronze RFC cap badge.
Also included is an exquisite 15carat gold double sided “sweetheart” lunette pendant with swivel top loop and containing enamelled portraits of the two uniformed Duncan brothers within an intricate foliate border set with emeralds & seed pearls. This suspended by a black silk mourning ribbon with miniature gold buckle. Professionally valued at £550.
Harold’s older brother, Lieutenant Alan M.Duncan, was also serving in France with the Highland Light Infantry.
His brother Alan’s medals for WW1 & WW2 are also included.
A Group of Nine, with Territorial Decoration (L.G. 3rd May 1935) Lt Col Alan Duncan died on 14th October 1948.
To:
Capt, Lieut-Colonel ALAN MELLISH DUNCAN
1st/5th (City of Glasgow) Bn & 1st/ 9th (Glasgow Highland)Bn, Highland Light Infantry.
FRANCE: 4th August 1916
An enamelled silver “DOULENNS” town crest brooch set into a page of an emotive and dedicated photo album of pictures of the temporary wooden cross grave marker in the Gezaincourt cemetery where Lt Harold Duncan rests. This appears to have been assembled when the Duncan family visited the grave soon after the Armistice.
Also ....A VERY RARE R.F.C. “Air Drop Message Weighted Multi-Coloured Streamer with message tab marked to 15th Corps.
[BIOGRAPHY] 1894–29th April 1916. Age 22.
Harold Forrester Duncan was born in Helensburgh in 1894, and was educated at Miss Johnston’s school, then Larchfield, and later at Sedbergh in Yorkshire.
Upon leaving school he gained employment with Messrs Bannatyne & Guthrie, Chartered Accountants in Glasgow, and later went into business with his father. Mr Duncan Senior was apparently in the tobacco importation business.
At the outbreak of war he and his brother Alan both obtained commissions as 2nd Lieutenants in the 5th (City of Glasgow) Highland Light Infantry and (LG.18th FEBRUARY 1915) Harold served with this regiment in France where he was promoted to Captain for bravery in the field.
In November 1916 he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in the rank of Lieutenant.
[WITH THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS IN FRANCE] From 24th May 1916.
The first flight of No.70 Squadron arrived in France at Fienvillers with their Sopwith Strutters on 24th May 1916 with the second arriving on 29th June 1916 and the third and final flight of ex-RNAS machines arriving on 30th July. Lt Duncan flew with the squadron throughout the summer of 1916 doing reconnaissance flights during Battle of The Somme.
[THE FINAL SORTIE] 24th MARCH 1917.
At around 06:30 on the morning of 24th March 1917, six two-seater Sopwith Strutter aircraft from 70 Squadron left on a reconnaissance mission over the Douai-Cambrai area near the Belgian border.
Around 08:00 they ran into twelve aircraft from the German Jasta 5 and Jasta 11 squadrons.
The aviators who formed these two enemy squadrons were just not the type of people one needed to meet while undertaking an early morning recce sortie, as both these units contained several of the top scoring and now world famous German air aces of WW1.
Flying with Jasta 11 that day was non other than “Red Baron” Manfred Fr Von Richthofen and his protege Lt Karl Schaefer who accounted for A1907 the 70 Squadron aircraft of Captain W.H. COSTELLO & Lt H.S. WHITESIDE who were both taken P.O.W. after being forced down behind the German front line.
In the case of Jasta 5, two of its pilots were the famous Werner Voss & non other than the later infamous Herman Göring.
The Sopwith Strutters attempted to fight their way back over the British lines, which was some 15 miles away, but in the ensuing 15-minutes of dog fighting, the Germans claimed two RFC aircraft and lost one of their own when Lieutenant C.R.Peter and Lieutenant Bernard Balfour in A2893 and Lieutenant H.Butler and Air Mechanic A.G.MacMillan in A1925 shot down Leutnant Renatus Theiller.
Both of the RFC aircraft were damaged in the fight with both Peter and MacMillan being injured, but all four crewmen and both machines got back to the British lines.
Pilot Captain Arthur Gerald Saxty and observer Lieutenant Harold Forrester Duncan in A956 were also attacked by the German aircraft but were less fortunate. Saxty was uninjured and flew the aircraft back to base, but Observer Lt Harold Duncan M.C. was very seriously wounded in the rear gunner-observers cockpit and died of his injuries five days later on 29th March, almost certainly at 139th Field Ambulance.
Three days later his father, Major John Forrester-Duncan, J.P., V.D., of Polkemmet, 6 Upper Colquhoun Street, was informed that his son had been wounded, and a further two days later that he had died from his injuries
Earlier, in about mid-February 1917, he had been awarded his Military Cross for a previous act of gallantry in the air during a similar combat action where although twice wounded and his gun having been put out of action, he survived the event and was still able to assist his pilot in avoiding enemy aircraft.
This earlier action, in February 1917 for which Lt Duncan was decorated & during which he was twice wounded, but survived, should not be confused with the later and ultimately fatal sortie of 24th March 1917.
His Military Cross which was awarded for the earlier action was later superbly engraved by the family with the place & date of his final fatal wounding: “LIEUT. H.F. DUNCAN. H.L.I. - R.F.C. FRANCE, 24th MARCH, 1917
The M.C. is superbly housed in a privately produced locking glazed case of polished hardwood which is surmounted with a miniature set of enamelled RFC wings & interior ribboning.
[CITATION]
The London Gazette of 26th April 1917 and the Edinburgh Gazette two days later on 28th carried the following citation: for this earlier action.
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an aerial combat. Although twice wounded, he continued firing until his gun was hit and put out of action. He then kept in communication with his pilot during the remainder of the action, and continually informed him as to the whereabouts of hostile aircraft.”
A report of Harold’s death in The Helensburgh and Gareloch Times said:
“He was well known and deservedly popular in the town, where such a sad termination to a promising career has caused much regret, which has been accentuated in the fact of his recent engagement to Miss Young of Dunalwayn of 2 West Abercromby Street.
“The deepest sympathy of their fellow citizens is extended to her and to Major and Mrs Duncan, the parents, and the many other sorrowing relatives of the deceased officer.”
His father, himself an ex-commissioned officer and who had a very long connection with the Dumbartonshire Rifles and Territorial Force, was in fact training one of the battalions of the Glasgow Volunteer Regiment when he received word of his son’s death.
The following year he was elected Provost of Helensburgh, in which role he served until 1927.
The Reverand C.B.Beard, minister of St Michael and All Angels Scottish Episcopal Church, said in church a few days later:
“Ours is a fresh grief keenly felt by many hearts amongst us in the death on active service of Harold Forrester Duncan.His spiritual home was in this congregation of Christ’s flock. Here in this House of God he was baptised, confirmed, and made his first Communion.So we thought of him specially as one of our very own boys, and we loved him for his quiet, simple manliness, as he reasonably ordered his life, ready for its duties and also ready to enter with zest into its happy enjoyments. That is just what is natural, and he was entirely bright in his pastimes and companionships and social relationships, but there were manifest in his character many gifts of the Spirit in bright, happy wisdom, in understanding and strength and unaffected godliness, and these had a very definite influence upon those who knew him.The story of his conduct in the conflict when he received his mortal wounds is a story of like gallantry with that of all our boys who have fallen in battle.
On his last Sunday when he was home on leave, at the early hour he knelt at our altar rail to receive the heavenly bread of God’s board, quietly to renew his ‘sacramentum’, his soldier’s oath, to Christ.
As today we commend his soul to Almighty God, and we offer our deepest sympathy to those to whom he was inexpressibly dear, we would ask that theirs may be the pride of a name added to our country’s Roll of Honour, and the consolation of one who has entered into the gladness of fuller life.”
Harold was buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Communal Cemetery Extension at Gezaincourt, a village in the Somme. The gentleman in this picture at left is thought to be Harold’s Father. Harold Duncan’s permanent CWG headstone bears the chosen inscription of: “LOVE THAN DEATH ITSELF MORE STRONG”
In 1922, his father, as Provost officially unveiled the Helensburgh Cenotaph in Hermitage Park, which still carries the name of his son.
At this ceremony he stated that, ‘ This monument is a poignant yet striking reminder of the dreadful carnage of the First World War, while yet forming an appropriate means by which the community can pay its respects to the fallen”.
He told the gathered townsfolk. ”Fellow citizens, this is without a doubt the most historic as well as the most solemn and memorable day in the annals of this Burgh.”
Harold is also remembered with honour on the St. Michael’s Church Roll of Honour, Larchfield School Memorial, Sedbergh School Cloisters, the Scottish National War Memorial and the Helensburgh War Memorial, Column 2 Line 40.
A VERY EXCEPTIONAL GROUPING
£3250 CALL US TODAY ....ON .....01342-870926