This is an original pencil drawing portrait with white pencil highlights on sepia recycled card by Steve Teasdale. It features the genuine signature of Hugh ‘Cocky’ Dundas mounted underneath. The bookplate is roughly 20x13cm and an ideal size to fit into his autobiography Flying Start or similar book on the Battle of Britain.
He flew with 616 Squadron over Dunkirk in late May and early June 1940. On 3rd July he shared a Do17 over the North Sea and damaged one and on 15th August he shared two Ju88s east of Flamborough Head.
On the 22nd Dundas was shot down in Spitfire I R6926 by Me109s over Dover. He baled out and was admitted to Kent and Canterbury Hospital with arm and leg wounds.
On 15th January 1941 Dundas damaged a Do17. On 8th May, in Spitfire IIa P7827, he was shot down by Oblt. Werner Mölders, his 68th victory. Dundas made a forced-landing at Hawkinge.
On 17th May he destroyed a Me109, on the 25th damaged another, on 10th July destroyed a Me109, shared a Me109 on the 19th, shared one and damaged another on the 21st and destroyed one on the 23rd. He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 5th August 1941) and in September he went to 610 Squadron.
Dundas was promoted to Acting Squadron Leader in December 1941 and given command of 56 Squadron. In November 1942 he was posted to Duxford to form the first Typhoon Fighter-Bomber Wing. He was granted an RAF commission on 1st December 1942.
He went to Tunisia in January 1943, to lead 324 Spitfire Wing and took it to Malta in June. On 4th July Dundas shared a Me109. He took the Wing to Sicily on 7th July and he destroyed a Mc202 on the 13th. The Wing moved to an airfield in the Salerno beach-head in September and on the 24th he shared a Ju88.
In January 1944 Dundas went on to the personal staff of AVM H Broadhurst in the Advanced HQ Desert Air Force in Italy. He was awarded the DSO (gazetted 3rd March 1944). In June he was made Wing Leader 244 Wing and in October was promoted to Group Captain and given command of the Wing.