Pilot Flying Officer Robert Mcintosh "Bert" Duncan, R. C. A. F.^[1]

1919 - 1944  (24 years)

• Name	Robert Mcintosh "Bert" Duncan  [2]
  Prefix	Pilot Flying Officer
  Suffix	R. C. A. F.
  Nickname	Bert
  Birth	16 Apr 1919	Almonte, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Name	Bert Duncan  [2]
  _FGLINK	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15250559
  _FGRAVE	15250559
  _FSFTID	G339-4XC
  _FSLINK	https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G339-4XC
  _STAT	Never Married
  _TAG	Ramsay Twp Settlers (1820-1821)
  Burial	1944	Englefield Green, Runnymede Borough, Surrey, England   [2]
  	Address: Coopers Hill Lane Englefield Green, Runnymede Borough,, Surry TW20 OLB England
  	Robert McIntosh "Bert Duncan's name appears on panel 250 of the Runnymede Memorial. This memorial overlooks the River Thames in Surry, United Kingdom and commemoraters over 20,000 airmen of the Second world War with no known graves. Of the 17,000 Canadian flyers killed in WWII, almost one third have noknown grave. The Air Forces Memorial ar Runnymede was unveiled in October of 1953. Designed by sir Edward Maufe and John Hutton, a poem by Paul Scott is engraved on the gallery window.
  Death	28 Jan 1944	Wittenberg Platz, Berlin, Germany   [2]
  	Cause: WW II Halifax Bomber Crash
  	On January 28, 1944, Duncan, along with his crew was flying in low visability and collided with a German aircraft. After a successful bombing raid, their Halifax Mk. II was returning to base. following the collision, the aircrasft lost control and crashed into a large building, catching fire. According to a German report, the collision occurred over Wittenberg Platz, Berlin, the plane dived into the eighth floor, only coming to rest on the fifth floor of the building, which was already devastated from previous raids. When the fire died out, eight bodies were recovered, all of which were unrecognizable. The bodies of Sergeant Jarvis and Sergeant Jandron's were identified from the crash site. Because the crashed Halifax aircraft had a crew of only seven men and eight bodies were recovered in the building, there was some question as to their identities. As such, the names of the remaining five men including Pilot Officer Bert Duncan were listed as missing in action for several months until, in September, 1944, they became officially presumed to have died on Active Service overseas. In a letter to the Department of National Defence, Bert's mother expressed doubt of her son's death and the possibility that he had been taken a prisoner of war, in an attempt to gain information from the officer. 944, Thursday June 8, The Almonte Gazette front page Officially Listed As Killed In ActionMr and Mrs E.H. Duncan Are Informed of Their Son's DeathMr and Mrs E.H. Duncan of Ramsay, received a letter last week from the R.C.A.F., Casualty Officer for Chief of Air Staff, Ottawa, stating that the body of their son, Warrant Officer 2 Robert MacIntosh Duncan had been positively identified. The message which was forwarded by the International Red Cross Society quoted German information that five members of the crew lost their lives. Two only R.M. Duncan and Sgt G.M. Jandron were positively identified. The other members of the crew are still classified as missing. Mr and Mrs Duncan were first informed that their son was missing on Jan 29 and their many friends sincerely regret that the long period of anxious waiting ends so sadly. "Bert" as he was usually known was 24 years of age and went overseas late in 1942. He enlisted in November, 1941, and trained at Manning Pool, Brandon and at Calgary and Regina. He received his wings at Dauphin. Besides his father and mother, he leaves six brothers, five of whom are in the armed services and three sisters.
  Person ID	I2889	The Family History of Robert Duncan a Lanark Society Settler
  Last Modified	29 Jan 2023

  
  

  Father	Edmund Harvey Duncan,   b. 20 Jan 1878, Ramsay Township, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada d. 14 Dec 1951, Ottawa, Carleton County, Ontario, Canada (Age 73 years)
  Mother	Beatrice Fedora Miller,   b. 4 May 1881, Almonte, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada d. 29 May 1969, Carleton Place, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada (Age 88 years)
  Marriage	29 Dec 1903	Ramsay Township, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada
  Family ID	F998	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 16 Apr 1919 - Almonte, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  Pilot Officer Robert McIntosh Bert Duncan 1919-1944

  
  

• Notes

  DUNCAN, ROBERT MCINTOSH P/O(P) J19957//R135751. From Almonte Ontario. Killed in action January 29/44 age 25. #77 Squadron (Esse Potius Quam Videri). Halifax aircraft # HR 841 was shot down during night operations over the target Berlin, Germany. WO. W.C. Thom Sgt. G.M. Jandron, and two of the crew, not Canadians, were also killed. Two of the crew, not Canadians, missing believed killed. Officer Pilot Duncan has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Runnymede War Memorial, Englefield Green, Egham, Surrey, England. taken from War listings at Aviation Museum in Hamilton Ont. Robert's name has been inscribed on his parents head stone in the Auld Kirk Cementary Almonte, Ontario.

  
  

• Sources

  [S18] Sandy Bullock Family Tree File. [S8] Ontario. Almonte., Newspapers: Almonte Gazette Death Notice, "Robert McIntosh "Bert" Duncan," 8 Jun 1944, p. front. (Reliability: 3).