Portal:University of Oxford/Selected biography/66

John Dundas (1915–1940) was a British Second World War fighter pilot and flying ace. The son of an aristocrat, Dundas was an able student and academic. After graduating from Christ Church, Oxford, with a degree in Modern History, he became a journalist in his home county of West Yorkshire. After two years, tired with life as a reporter, he joined the Royal Auxiliary Air Force 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 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 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. During a battle over the English Channel 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. Moments later Dundas was also shot down. Both pilots remain missing in action.