GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY
Just 6 days later, Flt Lt Duncan was part of a 4 aircraft 2 wave night air-assault in support of 2 Para Battle Group that was likely to be opposed. The lead pair of aircraft was engaged by RPG, HMG and small arms, although not hit. Flt Lt Duncan led the second pair into the hostile area and departed, before returning to lead the second wave into a second hostile landing site under continued engagement by RPG and HMG.
Throughout both events Flt Lt Duncan displayed consummate professionalism and strength of character, in the first instance taking immediate and appropriate action to recover a badly hit aircraft with a VIP party on board, and in the second pressing ahead an air assault in the face of intense fire to ensure the force protection of the battle group troops. His actions, bravery and stoicism are worthy of formal recognition.’
A.F.C. London Gazette 30 September 2011: ‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1st October 2010 to 31st March 2011.’
Alex Duncan was born in 1976, the son of a French mother and a Scottish father. He grew up in Paris, prior to moving to England in 1995:
‘I don’t think the French Air Force ever figured in my thoughts, even from when I first dreamed of flying; it was always the R.A.F. When I learned about World War II, I always imagined I was in the cockpit of a Spitfire. So when it came to choosing a university, it had to be one in England. I read Aerospace Engineering at Manchester and after graduation in July 1999 (alongside my degree, I also acquired the nickname ‘Frenchie’) I was accepted into the Royal Air Force as a direct-entry pilot.’ (Sweating The Metal by Flight Lieutenant Alex ‘Frenchie’ Duncan D.F.C, A.F.C., refers)
Duncan was commissioned into the Royal Air Force in August 2000, and carried out his 6 month officer training at R.A.F. Cranwell. He passed out as Flying Officer in February 2001, and went for his initial training at the Elementary Flying Training School. Duncan was selected for rotary wing training, and was posted to R.A.F. Shawbury (home to the Defence Helicopter Flying School and the Central Flying School (Helicopter)) in March 2002:
‘I arrived ready to learn everything I needed to know about rotary-winged aircraft... At this stage, I really didn’t know a great deal about them, but when I looked at the R.A.F.’s fleet I set my sights on the Chinook from the off. There was something different about it. That said, I still felt apprehensive. To me, helicopters were the devil’s machines. I know how fixed-wing aircraft stay aloft but I regarded helicopters as little more than six million separate pieces flying in an unstable formation. So far as I was concerned then, it was aerodynamically impossible for a helicopter to fly, so the only conclusion that I could draw was that they’re so fucking ugly that the earth repels them. I wasn’t sure I could deal with that.’ (Ibid)
Duncan carried out his initial training in Squirrels, and was subsequently posted to 705 Squadron (also at Shawbury) for Instrument Flying instruction as part of advanced flying training. He then progressed to Griffins and was with 60 Squadron when he gained his ‘Wings’ in May 2003.
Having qualified as a pilot, Duncan was posted to the Operational Conversion Flight, R.A.F. Odiham, for conversion to Chinooks in July 2003. After completing the course he was posted to ‘A’ Flight, 18 Squadron, R.A.F. Odiham, and deployed with the Squadron on board H.M.S. Ocean (helicopter carrier) in May 2004. The Squadron went on operational exercise with the carrier across the Atlantic, in support of the Royal Marines who were to take part in Exercise Aurora in the US. On return Duncan was employed in some taskings in Northern Ireland, prior to being deployed in Iraq at the start of 2005. After two months in Iraq, Duncan returned with 18 Squadron to Odiham and underwent further training prior to being declared ‘combat ready’ in June 2005.
18 Squadron received notice that they were to be deployed to Afghanistan in April 2006. In the interim period Duncan and the Squadron were to be prepared for that deployment, including undertaking flying in testing weather and environments, such as a two month detachment to the Falkland Islands at the end of 2005:
‘Given the Falkland Islands’ isolation and its uncontrolled airspace, you can do things there that just aren’t possible anywhere else in the world…. It’s like a playground for the UK military, but it’s hugely beneficial from an operational readiness perspective.
We used to do something called the ‘Tiger Run’. We would call the R.A.F. Regiment over the radio and say, ‘Tiger Run - game on,’ and they would then turn on the radar for their Rapier anti-aircraft missile system. The object of the game would be to fly the aircraft as low and fast as possible to see how close we could get to the airfield before they managed to get missile lock on us. To beat our personal score meant flying through some of the gullies that ran in from the west straight into the airfield. The flying was intense and took a lot of focus, but it was to prove hugely beneficial when we got to Afghanistan.’ (Ibid)
In January 2006, the Squadron was briefed that they would be deploying to Afghanistan as a component of 16 Air Assault Brigade and flying in support of ops carried out by 3 Para Battlegroup, the latter under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart Tootal. Duncan would ‘be flying to Kandahar Airfield and operating between there and a newly built British base called Camp Bastion. At that stage, I don’t think it was much more than a few tents and a dirt runway…. We also knew that we’d be flying on ops with the Army Air Corps’ Apache AH-1s.’ (Ibid)
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