Veteran of Battle of France, Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain and double ace. Served as flight commander in 71 and 121 Sqn RAF. Moved onto Hawker Typhoons with 3 Sqn RAF.

Awarded - OBE, DFM and Bar.



Royce Wilkinson was born in November 1913, he had initially joined the RAF in January 1930 and saw service overseas from 1933 onwards. In 1936 he applied for pilot training and gained his Wings in May 1937. He flew in the great air battles over France and Britain with No.1's and 3 (F) Squadrons, and was credited with destroying 9 2/3 enemy aircraft in one week.



He helped form two American 'Eagle' Squadrons. No.71 Squadron was formed on 21st October 1940, of which he was a founder member. He later transferred to 121 Squadron on its formation on 14th May 1941 and formed the first Hurricane fighter/bomber Squadron No.174 in March 1942 which he commanded.



In May 1942 he was flying to Spain when he was forced to bale out of Hurricane BE674 at about 150 feet and made his escape. He evaded capture thanks to Madame Duhamel (who later became his daughter's Godmother) of the French Resistance and arrived back in England through France and Spain to Gibraltar, going almost everywhere by train and car in broad daylight, and in his own words 'I had a lovely time'.



He formed one of the Mobile Airfields of 2nd. TAF for the invasion of Europe in 1944 and in the Pacific he led the longest Spitfire raid of the war, a four-hour-fifty-minute flight from Darwin, Australia to Timor Island and back, without loss. He always led from the front and was highly decorated being awarded the O.B.E., D.F.M. and Bar, Croix de Guerre.



In 1944 he was posted to Australia and later was given a role at the Air Ministry. W/C Wilkinson left the RAF in 1946 having first been awarded the DSO, and CdeG. He was later awarded the OBE.



Book written by Nelson Kenneth James "Spitfire RCW" about Wilkie's exploits in the RAF.



Royce Wilkinson died at home in Sheerness, Kent on January 13th 1990. He is survived by his wife Joan and his daughter Wendy Bridges (Wilkinson).