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Cenotaph record

Robert Duncan Yule

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Portrait of Flight Lieutenant Robert Yule, Auckland Weekly News, 29 April 1942. Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-19420429-22-22. Image has no known copyright restrictions.

Portrait of Flight Lieutenant Robert Yule, Auckland Weekly News, 29 April 1942. Sir George Grey Spec …

Identity

About

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  • 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
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    29 January 1920 AWMM Invercargill, Southland AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    WW2 Invercargill AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    Accidental Death, Cause of Death AWMM
    Killed in an aircraft accident AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • 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
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    11 September 1953 AWMM
    Age 33 AWMM
    London, England AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Accidental Death AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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Contributors

Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
05 June 2020Ian BanksTaumarunui New ZealandResearcher
22 October 2017KelvinNorfolk, EnglandResearcher

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