Percy Lucas
| Percy Belgrave Lucas | |
|---|---|
Lucas as Commanding Officer of No. 616 Squadron RAF during the Second World War
|
|
| Nickname(s) | "Laddie" |
| Born |
2 September 1915 Sandwich Bay, Kent |
| Died | 20 March 1998 (aged 82) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1940–1945 |
| Rank | Wing Commander |
| Unit | No. 66 Squadron (1941–42) |
| Commands held |
No. 613 Squadron (1944–45) No. 616 Squadron (1943) No. 249 Squadron (1942) |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards |
Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order & Bar Distinguished Flying Cross |
| Other work | Member of Parliament |
Percy Belgrave Lucas, CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC (2 September 1915 – 20 March 1998), commonly known as Laddie Lucas, was a Royal Air Force officer, left-handed golfer, author and Member of Parliament (MP).
Lucas was born on 2 September 1915 in the old clubhouse at Prince's Sandwich Bay, Kent, the son of Percy Montagu Lucas, co-founder of Prince's Golf Club, Sandwich. His father died when he was aged 11. A company of Highlanders based nearby often inquired about "the wee laddie" when he was a baby, resulting in his nickname.
Lucas was educated at Stowe School, and Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he read Economics. While at Cambridge, he captained the golf team, was the top amateur in the 1935 Open Championship and was considered the finest left-handed player in the world at the age of 19.
In 1946, Lucas married Jill Addison, the sister of Thelma Bader, wife of fellow flying ace Douglas Bader, of whom he wrote a best-selling biography. The couple had five grandchildren.
After graduating from Cambridge, Lucas was interviewed by Lord Beaverbrook for a post on the Sunday Express. He impressed Beaverbrook sufficiently that the publisher took him to supper that night and later hired him as a sports writer. He remained with the Sunday Express until the outbreak of war, when he volunteered for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Lucas joined the RAF in June 1940 and went to Canada to undertake flying training at the Flying Training School as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme. On completion of his training, he was assigned to No. 66 Squadron in August 1941, based in Cornwall, where he flew a Spitfire on convoy patrols. He sought a transfer to Burma for more action but ended up at Malta instead, arriving there in February 1942. During the Battle of Malta, he commanded No. 249 Squadron.
...
Wikipedia