Edward Duncan Crundall joined the
Royal Naval Air Service in 1914. Flight Sub-Lieutenant Crundall received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 3543 on a Maurice Farman biplane at Royal Naval Air Station, Eastbourne on 5 September 1916. He was posted to 8 Naval Squadron
in 1916 and in 1917 he scored 3 victories flying the Sopwith
Triplane. Wounded in action on 10 May 1917, he was forced to
land near Bethune by Alois
Heldmann of Jasta 10. On 28 July 1917, he was downed by Adolf von Tutschek. In 1918, Crundall was posted to 210
Squadron as a flight commander and scored 4 more victories flying
the Sopwith
Camel. During World War II, he served as the commanding
officer of 116 Calibration Squadron and was awarded the AFC.
Crundall continued flying in civilian life, accumulating over
8,500 hours of flight time on charter routes to Africa. His
autobiography, Fighter Pilot on the Western Front,
was published in 1975.
Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificates, 1910-1950
