Patrick Dunn, whose family lived at Ardentinny, was born in Glasgow in 1912 and educated at Glasgow Academy, Loretto School and Glasgow University. He joined the RAF in March 1933 on a short service commission and, after training in Scotland, he attended the flying-boat and general reconnaissance course at Calshot and was posted to No 201. He went to the Central Flying School, then joined No 500 (County of Kent) before returning to the CFS in 1938 as a senior instructor, during which period he won an aerobatic competition.
During the Second World War, he had a distinguished record flying Gladiator
bi-planes and Hurricanes in the Western Desert. In July 1940, he took command of 80 Squadron and on August 8, put into action a daring plan to lure Italian CR 42s which had been operating around El Gobi into a trap.
Squadron Leader ''Paddy'' Dunn led a patrol of 14 Gladiators of No 80 Squadron in a formation of three aircraft flying at 8000ft, while the others lurked above. Dunn was one of the bait.
As the Italians were engaged with the lower formation, the higher Gladiators swooped down from the sun, taking them by surprise. In five minutes, 10 enemy aircraft were claimed destroyed, with seven ''probables''. Dunn himself had one confirmed and one ''probable''.
Within a fortnight, he formed No 274, the first Hurricane squadron to see action in the Western Desert and was again involved in fierce engagements with the Italians. On December 9, Dunn was involved in two dogfights near Bir Zigdin
el-Hamra and Sidi el Barrani. In the first, the RAF claimed three SM 79s destroyed and two damaged, with Dunn having a share in one.
The second was a huge aerial battle, involving two squadrons of Hurricanes, No 33 and No 274 and at least 19 Italian aircraft. The Italians claimed that they had shot down 18 Hurricanes at a cost of 12 of their own aircraft. In fact, RAF casualties seem to have been limited to two. Dunn claimed one aircraft destroyed and two ''probables''.
He led an attack on an Italian fighter escort over Sidi Aziez, On December 14, and claimed two destroyed. His own aircraft was hit and he made a forced landing from which he emerged unscathed. He was awarded a DFC in February 1941, and posted to command Amriya airfield.
Under Dunn's command, No 80 and No 274 accounted for 92 enemy aircraft destroyed. His own tally was six, with a share in three more and a
number of ''probables''.
After staff appointments in the Middle East, he had a brief posting in West Africa flying Sunderlands with 204 squadron. He was sent back to London to a staff position with Air Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard, chief of the air staff.
Promoted group captain and placed in charge of anti-V2 operations at 12 Group, he ended the war in command of Coltishall fighter sector.
His career after the war involved staff appointments, instructing and overseas postings. His final post was as commander-in-chief flying training command and he retired from the RAF in 1967. He was appointed CBE in 1950 for his role, co-ordinating anti-terrorist operations in Malaya, CB in 1956 and KBE in 1965.
In retirement, he was a director of British Steel, deputy chairman of British Eagle Airlines and, after its demise, was chairman of its successor, Eagle Aircraft Services. He then became managing director of a company operating industrial estates.
Patrick Dunn married Diana Ledward-Smith in 1939 and they had two daughters.
Air Marshal Sir Patrick Dunn KBE CB DFC CBE; born December 31, 1912, died June 17, 2004.
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