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Robert Stanford Tuck
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Robert Stanford Tuck
Wing Commander Robert Roland Stanford Tuck, DSO, DFC & Two Bars, AFC (1 July 1916 – 5 May 1987) was a British fighter pilot, flying ace and test pilot. Tuck joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1935 and first engaged in combat during the Battle of France, over Dunkirk, claiming his first victories. In September 1940 he was promoted to squadron leader and appointed commander of No. 257 Squadron. In 1941–1942, Tuck participated in fighter sweeps over northern France. On 28 January 1942, he was hit by anti-aircraft fire, was forced to land in France, and was taken prisoner. At the time of his capture, Tuck had claimed 29 enemy aircraft destroyed, two shared destroyed, six probably destroyed, six damaged and one shared damaged.
Robert Stanford Tuck was born on 1 July 1916 in Catford, southeast London. He was educated at St Dunstan's College and once he finished his schooling in 1932, joined the Merchant Navy as a sea cadet. He was a seaman on the SS Marconi, making a return voyage to South Africa in 1933. He later worked for a window joinery company before joining the RAF on a short service commission as an acting pilot officer in September 1935.
After completing his training at No. 3 Flying Training school at Grantham, Tuck joined No. 65 Squadron in August 1936 as an acting pilot officer on probation. The squadron was based at Hornchurch and was in the process of being equipped with the Gloster Gauntlet bi-plane fighter so much time was spent to become operational on this new type of aircraft. Tuck's pilot officer rank was confirmed in February 1937 with effect from the previous December. Then in May, No. 65 Squadron began to convert to the Gloster Gladiator biplanes. On 17 January 1938, practising formation flying in a Gladiator over the town of Uckfield in East Sussex, Tuck was involved in a fatal mid-air collision with another pilot. He himself escaped by parachute, with injuries to his face for which he was hospitalised. He was involved in another mid-air collision in April, but this time both pilots were uninjured. In September he was promoted to flying officer.
As part of the Hornchurch Wing, No. 65 Squadron, which had been equipped with Supermarine Spitfire fighters since the previous May, was involved with interception duties from the early stages of the Second World War, making its first scramble on 5 September 1939. However, it had seen no action by the time Tuck departed the squadron on 1 May 1940. His new assignment was flight commander at No. 92 Squadron. This was based at Croydon and equipped with Spitfires.
Tuck led his first combat patrol on 23 May 1940, over Dunkirk, claiming three German fighters shot down. The following day he shot down two German bombers and as aerial fighting intensified over the next two weeks his score rapidly mounted. Tuck was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on 11 June and received it from King George VI at RAF Hornchurch on 28 June. The citation for this award, published in The London Gazette, read:
"During May 1940 this officer led his flight in company with his squadron on two offensive patrols over Northern France. As a result of one of these patrols in which the squadron engaged a formation of some 60 enemy aircraft, the Squadron Commander was later reported missing, and the flight commander wounded and in hospital. Flight Lieutenant Tuck assumed command, and on the following day led the squadron, consisting of only eight aircraft, on a further patrol engaging an enemy formation of fifty aircraft. During these engagements the squadron has shot down ten enemy aircraft and possibly another twenty-four. Throughout the combats this officer has displayed great dash and gallantry.
— London Gazette, No. 34870, 11 June 1940
His combat successes continued into July and August as the Battle of Britain gathered pace, although he himself was forced to bail out on 18 August. While attacking a formation of Junkers Ju 88s over Kent, he shot one down and damaged another. However, during a head-on attack, when he overtook one of the Ju88s, cannon shells hit his Spitfire and he was forced to bail out near Tunbridge Wells. He fell at Tucks Cottage, near Park Farm, Horsmonden. In another incident on 25 August, Tuck's Spitfire was badly damaged during combat with a Dornier Do 17 bomber, which he destroyed 15 miles off the coast. His aircraft had a dead engine, but he glided it back to dry land and made a forced landing.
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Robert Stanford Tuck
Wing Commander Robert Roland Stanford Tuck, DSO, DFC & Two Bars, AFC (1 July 1916 – 5 May 1987) was a British fighter pilot, flying ace and test pilot. Tuck joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1935 and first engaged in combat during the Battle of France, over Dunkirk, claiming his first victories. In September 1940 he was promoted to squadron leader and appointed commander of No. 257 Squadron. In 1941–1942, Tuck participated in fighter sweeps over northern France. On 28 January 1942, he was hit by anti-aircraft fire, was forced to land in France, and was taken prisoner. At the time of his capture, Tuck had claimed 29 enemy aircraft destroyed, two shared destroyed, six probably destroyed, six damaged and one shared damaged.
Robert Stanford Tuck was born on 1 July 1916 in Catford, southeast London. He was educated at St Dunstan's College and once he finished his schooling in 1932, joined the Merchant Navy as a sea cadet. He was a seaman on the SS Marconi, making a return voyage to South Africa in 1933. He later worked for a window joinery company before joining the RAF on a short service commission as an acting pilot officer in September 1935.
After completing his training at No. 3 Flying Training school at Grantham, Tuck joined No. 65 Squadron in August 1936 as an acting pilot officer on probation. The squadron was based at Hornchurch and was in the process of being equipped with the Gloster Gauntlet bi-plane fighter so much time was spent to become operational on this new type of aircraft. Tuck's pilot officer rank was confirmed in February 1937 with effect from the previous December. Then in May, No. 65 Squadron began to convert to the Gloster Gladiator biplanes. On 17 January 1938, practising formation flying in a Gladiator over the town of Uckfield in East Sussex, Tuck was involved in a fatal mid-air collision with another pilot. He himself escaped by parachute, with injuries to his face for which he was hospitalised. He was involved in another mid-air collision in April, but this time both pilots were uninjured. In September he was promoted to flying officer.
As part of the Hornchurch Wing, No. 65 Squadron, which had been equipped with Supermarine Spitfire fighters since the previous May, was involved with interception duties from the early stages of the Second World War, making its first scramble on 5 September 1939. However, it had seen no action by the time Tuck departed the squadron on 1 May 1940. His new assignment was flight commander at No. 92 Squadron. This was based at Croydon and equipped with Spitfires.
Tuck led his first combat patrol on 23 May 1940, over Dunkirk, claiming three German fighters shot down. The following day he shot down two German bombers and as aerial fighting intensified over the next two weeks his score rapidly mounted. Tuck was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on 11 June and received it from King George VI at RAF Hornchurch on 28 June. The citation for this award, published in The London Gazette, read:
"During May 1940 this officer led his flight in company with his squadron on two offensive patrols over Northern France. As a result of one of these patrols in which the squadron engaged a formation of some 60 enemy aircraft, the Squadron Commander was later reported missing, and the flight commander wounded and in hospital. Flight Lieutenant Tuck assumed command, and on the following day led the squadron, consisting of only eight aircraft, on a further patrol engaging an enemy formation of fifty aircraft. During these engagements the squadron has shot down ten enemy aircraft and possibly another twenty-four. Throughout the combats this officer has displayed great dash and gallantry.
— London Gazette, No. 34870, 11 June 1940
His combat successes continued into July and August as the Battle of Britain gathered pace, although he himself was forced to bail out on 18 August. While attacking a formation of Junkers Ju 88s over Kent, he shot one down and damaged another. However, during a head-on attack, when he overtook one of the Ju88s, cannon shells hit his Spitfire and he was forced to bail out near Tunbridge Wells. He fell at Tucks Cottage, near Park Farm, Horsmonden. In another incident on 25 August, Tuck's Spitfire was badly damaged during combat with a Dornier Do 17 bomber, which he destroyed 15 miles off the coast. His aircraft had a dead engine, but he glided it back to dry land and made a forced landing.
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