The Airmen's Stories - P/O P Byng-Hall

Percy Byng-Hall was born in England on 17th April 1907 in Guildford, the son of Percy Byng-Hall (1880-1964) and Muriel Anne Byng-Hall (nee O'Callaghan 1878-1954).

His father joined the Indian Army in 1899 and was promoted to Lieutenant on 25th April 1901 serving in the 34th Sikh Pioneers.

He was awarded the DSO {gazetted 26th June 1903] the citation reading 'Percy Byng Hall, Lieutenant, Indian Army. For the capture of a band of brigands on 17th December 1901, in the district of Chum-ling-Chang in China'.

He retired to the Reserve of Officers in 1906 and on 16th September 1912 became Captain in the 88th Foot (Victoria Fusiliers), British Columbia, in which he was promoted Major on 25th April 1914.

He went on to serve in the 7th Battalion, British Columbia Regiment and was taken prisoner after a gas attack during the Battle of St. Julien in April 1915.

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P Byng-Hall went to Canada as a child, sailing from Bristol on 6th September 1911 in the Royal George for Quebec.

In late 1939 he returned to England as a member of the West Nova Scotia Regiment.

Byng-Hall transferred to the RAF in May 1940 as a direct-entry Air Gunner. He joined 29 Squadron on 7th July and served with it until 18th November 1940 when he was posted to 218 Squadron as an Air Gunner in Wellingtons.

On 13th September 1941 he married Jacqueline Ellerie May Lemmon at Minchinhampton in Gloucester. Her father was Lt. Col. CH Lemmon DSO.

He transferred to the Administrative Branch in July 1942 and was released from the RAF in early 1946.

He returned to Canada and took up farming at Lawrencetown in Nova Scotia. In January 1948 he was admitted to Camp Hill Hospital in the capital Halifax, suffering from lung cancer.

Despite treatment he died on 21st May 1948.

Byng-Hall was buried at the Old Holy Trinity Anglican Church Cemetery in Nova Scotia.

Additional research and image courtesy of Allan Baillie.