Robert Duncan Yule
Born 29 Jan 1920 - Died 11 Sept 1953
- Service number
- WWII 33502 AWMM
- Also known as
- Bob Yule AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
- WW2 Wing Commander AWMM Royal Air Force AWMM
- War
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Robert Duncan AWMM
- Surname
- Yule AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- Bob Yule AWMM
- Service number
- WWII 33502 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
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- Religion
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Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 29 Jan 1920 AWMM
- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
- WW2 Invercargill AWMM
- Post war occupation
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- Next of kin
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- Relationship status
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Wars and conflicts
- War
- Campaign
- 1940 AWMM Battle of Britain AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- WWII 33502 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
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- Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- Vessel was Rangitiki AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 145 Squadron AWMM Royal Air Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed in Air Accident, Cause of Death AWMM
Killed in an aircraft accident AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW2 Wing Commander AWMM
Royal Air Force AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Son of a dental surgeon, Robert Yule
Won a scholarship to RAF College at Cranwell
Portrait in Wynn, K. (1981). The Battle of Britain: 10 July- 31 October 1940 AWMM - Attacked by a Bf109 over Tenterden, but despite being wounded in the leg the pilot managed to force land his Hurricane at Barn Farm, Brightling at 12:30 hrs - then admitted to Pembury Hospital.
Returned back to the Squadron on the 17th February the following year. Then a few days later posted to 53 Operational Training Unit and then onto 61 OTU in June.
Returned to operations in November 1941 joining 501 Squadron, being awarded the DFC on the 17th April 1942 followed by a bar to that on the 20th November 1942 whilst at HQ Group on staff duties for service with 65 Squadron. Awarded the DSO in 1943
Sq/Ldr. Yule DFC bar Citation 20th November 1942. No. 66 Squadron.
“Since being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in February this year, Squadron Leader Yule has displayed untiring devotion to duty, fine fighting spirit and excellent leadership which have been an example of the highest order. He has participated in many operational sorties and in the combined operations at Dieppe. He has destroyed several and damaged a number of other enemy aircraft”.
In 1953 based at 12 Group Horsham St. Faith in Norfolk, England he was then a Wing Commander flying Meteors. During a practice formation rehearsal for the coming Battle of Britain flypast his aircraft Meteor F.8 WF695 RDY was clipped by the canopy from Meteor WK936 which was taking evasive action when a Hurricane appeared in front of them.
Losing the tail of the Meteor the pilot, W/Cdr. Yule steered the aircraft in the heavily populate area of London to a small open space at Woolwich Arsenal. The pilot was killed but the only other injuries were minor to workers in the area. The pilot of Meteor WK936 made an emergency landing at RAF North Weald in Essex, admitted to hospital with head injuries.Public - Kelvin - Researcher - 22 October 2017 - http://aircrewremembered.com/yule-robert-duncan.html
- Son of a dental surgeon, Robert Yule
About death
- Death
- 11 Sept 1953 AWMM
Age 33 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
- Killed in Air Accident AWMM
- Death notes
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- Cemetery
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- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
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- Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Sources
- External links
- Bob Yule, Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Yule
Further Reference - 'Personal Items', Evening Post, 27 November 1942. Papers Past.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19421127.2.13
Further Reference - 'Fine Leader', Evening Post, 11 January 1944. Papers Past.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19440111.2.75
Further Reference - 'New Zealand Aces', Evening Post, 7 April 1945. Papers Past.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19450407.2.74
Further Reference - Battle of Britain, a website.
http://web.archive.org/web/20060403113135/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bob1940/bobhome.html
Further Reference - Battle of Britain Historical Society, a website.
http://www.battleofbritain1940.net/
Further Reference - Wikidata Entity
http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q4934486
Further Reference - See a list of New Zealanders awarded the Battle of Britain Clasp here (PDF). Compiled with the assistance of Errol Martyn and linked from the NZHistory page produced by Manatū Taonga, Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/sites/default/files/documents/nz-battle-of-britain-list.pdf
Further Reference - Battle of Britain: Allied Pilots, Aircrew Remembered
https://aircrewremembered.com/BattleOfBritainDatabase/battlebritain-alpha-list.html
Further Reference - Wikipedia contributors. (2025, November 15). List of World War II aces from New Zealand. In Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_aces_from_New_Zealand
Further Reference
- Bob Yule, Wikipedia
- References
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- Wynn, K. (1981). A clasp for "The Few". Auckland. N.Z.: Author.
Wynn, K. (1981). p. 447-450 - Ministry for Culture and Heritage. (2012). New Zealanders serving with RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain, 10 July – 31 October 1940. [A list compiled by Ministry for Culture and Heritage with Errol Martyn].
- RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] - Historical Items - List of New Zealand Fighter aces with their Scores (Unofficial) December 1944. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845799).
- Royal New Zealand Air Force. (1941–1945). Contact: National magazine of the R.N.Z.A.F.; the official organ of the Air Force Association (Inc.). Levin, New Zealand: Royal New Zealand Air Force.
V5,n4,p73, V7,n6,p63
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