Lieutenant William Durrand, Jr. was a Canadian flying ace

Flying ace

A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...

 from World War I. He was credited with eight aerial victories.

Durrand enlisted in the Canadian military on 11 March 1916. On 30 August 1916, Sergeant William Durrand of the 66th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force

Canadian Expeditionary Force

The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...

 was commissioned a Temporary Second Lieutenant with the Royal Flying Corps

Royal Flying Corps

The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...

.

On 1 March 1917 appointed Flying Officer

Flying Officer

Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...

 while still Temporary Second Lieutenant. He was then assigned to 20 Squadron to pilot a Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2d. He scored his first victory on 8 June 1917, with Edward Sayers

Edward Sayers (aviator)

Sergeant Edward Harper Sayers was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.-References:*...

 manning the observer's guns. Durrand scored three more wins while flying a FE.2, with number four coming on 21 September. He then upgraded to another two-seater fighter, the Bristol F.2

Bristol F.2 Fighter

The Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...

, and scored again almost immediately, on the 27th, with observer William Benger

William Benger

Sergeant William Joseph Benger was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories over German Albatros D.V fighters.Rifleman Benger was from Ewell, Surrey before military service. He served as an observer/gunner in the Bristol Two-Seater Fighters of 20 Squadron in 1917. He was injured...

 as his gunner. His next victory came on the first day he flew as Temporary Captain and Flight Commander, 17 October 1917. Durrand scored twice more with the Bristol, ending his victory string on 8 November 1917. His final tally was two enemy planes driven down out of control, and six destroyed (including one shared with Reginald Makepeace

Reginald Makepeace

Captain Reginald Milburn Makepeace was a World War I flying ace credited with 17 aerial victories.-Early life:Makepeace's father was a printer and compositor named John P. Makepeace. His mother was Mary A. Makepeace née Milburn. Reginald Makepeace emigrated to Canada in 1908...

.

He was transferred to the Royal Air Force unemployed list on 18 May 1919.

Reference