Does anyone happen to know the identity of two Spitfires (allegedly – though my info is from an August 1943 magazine so may be incorrect) that were donated to the RAF by a Dutchman who lived in London by the name of Mr de Bouey?
His daughter Mary married Cambridge’s Spitfire ace ‘Bill’ Wells.
By: Dave Homewood - 18th April 2005 at 14:27
Hi Paul,
Thanks for those scans. I guess that may well be the case, either the original news report spelled it wrong, or someone else down the track got it wrong and everyone copied everyone else.
OK, so we’ve nailed the bloke, but which were his Spitfires? Hmmm. I wonder if they went to a Dutch squadron.
By: paulmcmillan - 18th April 2005 at 13:38
“my spelling comes from The Waikato Independent newspaper, the Waikato Times newspaper and the New Zealand Observer, plus RNZAF Contact magazine,”
Just a guess, but prehaps they all used teh same Reuters or AP story and that is wny they all have the same spelling
Anyway.. here is the Royal Shell Advert, and some other references (including the wedding announcment)
PS. I include his death announcement from 1969 (he is said to be father of Mary and father in law of Bill)
By: Dave Homewood - 18th April 2005 at 11:56
Odd that, as my spelling comes from The Waikato Independent newspaper, the Waikato Times newspaper and the New Zealand Observer, plus RNZAF Contact magazine, and from memory also the New Zealand Herald, none of which are connected. And the Independent’s info came from letters that came via Bill’s parents.
I’m not saying you’re wrong, just that it seems odd.
By: paulmcmillan - 18th April 2005 at 11:17
” so I wonder if the Times made a typo”
No your references are wrong (all references to thisgentleman I have found spell his name as de Booy (including Dutch Governemnt Archives!) If fact you can find an advert in the Times from Shell, where he is listed as a Director
Paul
By: lauriebe - 18th April 2005 at 09:00
Thanks Paul, well that is a different spelling from all the references I have, which all state Bouey, not Booy. My references come from many different sources, so I wonder if the Times made a typo, or if everyone else did. I will look further into Mr J.M. de Booy though, cheers mate.
Dave,
The presentation list in my book does not include any reference to de Booy/Royal Dutch/Shell either. However, this list not definitive as I have spotted several omissions.
It will be interesting to see what is in the new book when it comes out later this year.
BR
Laurie.
By: Dave Homewood - 17th April 2005 at 22:27
Thanks Paul, well that is a different spelling from all the references I have, which all state Bouey, not Booy. My references come from many different sources, so I wonder if the Times made a typo, or if everyone else did. I will look further into Mr J.M. de Booy though, cheers mate.
By: paulmcmillan - 17th April 2005 at 19:06
See:
http://www.parlement.com/9291000/biof/02020
Also distinguished ex Submariner
http://www.dutchsubmarines.com/men/commanding_officers/1323_j_m_de_booy.htm
But doesn’t say if he donated Spitfires!
By: paulmcmillan - 17th April 2005 at 19:01
PS. J M de Booy was a Managing Director of the “Royal Dutch Company” (i.e Shell), and became Minister of Shipping in the Dutch Government in Exile and then back in Holland
By: paulmcmillan - 17th April 2005 at 18:55
Try 2
From The Times, Friday, Aug 13, 1943; pg. 7
Forthcoming Marriages
“Wing Commander E.P. Wells and Miss M D de Booy”
The marriage arranged between Wing Commander Edward Preston Wells DSO, DFC and Bar RNZAF and Mary Dorothea, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J M De Booy of 17 Dorset House, Gloucester Place, NW1 will take place on Saturday, August 14, 1943 at 3pm, in the Dutch Reformed Church, St. Mary, Bourdon Street, Berkeley Square W1, All friends will be welcome at the church”
By: Dave Homewood - 16th April 2005 at 20:16
At least one was a Typhoon!
See:
eh? Which one? I think you may be confused Paul, I’m looking for de Bouey, not de Bruyne.
By: paulmcmillan - 16th April 2005 at 19:17
At least one was a Typhoon!
See:
By: lauriebe - 16th April 2005 at 07:30
I checked that because I saw the De Bruyne name on Henry Boot’s website, but I have several different sources which state Bill married Mary Dorothea de Bouey, from newspapers to magazines.
Her parents had a flat in London, according to one source. I believe her parents had a fairly big business in Britain, but this is unconfirmed. It may have been in the clothing industry, I have a glimour of a memory that someone mentioned this. Let’s just say many people have said Bill married well.
Dave,
I have just been through the list again, there is nothing even remotely like the name of de Bouey.
The other possibility is that mentioned by Mark 12 earlier, the Netherlands East Indies (NEI) Fund. They were directly responsible for the presentation of 60 Spitfires, more than any other donor. There are another 5 aircraft which bear place names from that area that are not directly attributed to the NEI but could have been presented by them.
BR
Laurie.
By: Dave Homewood - 16th April 2005 at 02:31
Just a thought – any likelyhood of a spelling error?
Could this be De Bruyne – as in Dr. N. A. De Bruyne who built two light aircraft of his own design (in the Cambridge area) in the 1930s?
Roger Smith.
I checked that because I saw the De Bruyne name on Henry Boot’s website, but I have several different sources which state Bill married Mary Dorothea de Bouey, from newspapers to magazines.
Her parents had a flat in London, according to one source. I believe her parents had a fairly big business in Britain, but this is unconfirmed. It may have been in the clothing industry, I have a glimour of a memory that someone mentioned this. Let’s just say many people have said Bill married well.
By: Mark12 - 15th April 2005 at 20:11
Dutch donor.
I have asked Ray to comment on this.
Mark
Ray’s response:-
“This is new to me, but he could have been one of many Dutchmen around the world who contributed to the Netherlands East Fund, which had raised £726,000 by March 1944.”
By: von Perthes - 15th April 2005 at 18:07
Not much immediate help but Ray Sturtivant has been working on an Air Britain book about presentation Spitfires for some while now.
Although Ray has been very much involved, the author of the book is Henry Boot, a good friend of mine.
I have heard that it is now expected to appear this year.
Steve
I’ve heard the same from Henry.
Geoff.
By: Mark12 - 15th April 2005 at 16:47
Not much immediate help but Ray Sturtivant has been working on an Air Britain book about presentation Spitfires for some while now. I believe the book was expanded in an endeavour to include ALL RAF presentation a/c and I have heard that it is now expected to appear this year.
Steve
I have asked Ray to comment on this.
Mark
By: SteveB - 15th April 2005 at 16:27
Not much immediate help but Ray Sturtivant has been working on an Air Britain book about presentation Spitfires for some while now. I believe the book was expanded in an endeavour to include ALL RAF presentation a/c and I have heard that it is now expected to appear this year.
Steve
By: RPSmith - 15th April 2005 at 16:02
Just a thought – any likelyhood of a spelling error?
Could this be De Bruyne – as in Dr. N. A. De Bruyne who built two light aircraft of his own design (in the Cambridge area) in the 1930s?
Roger Smith.
By: lauriebe - 15th April 2005 at 13:35
Does anyone happen to know the identity of two Spitfires (allegedly – though my info is from an August 1943 magazine so may be incorrect) that were donated to the RAF by a Dutchman who lived in London by the name of Mr de Bouey?
His daughter Mary married Cambridge’s Spitfire ace ‘Bill’ Wells.
Dave,
Just had a look through the presentation aircraft section of ‘Spitfire – The Story of a Famous Fighter’, but can find no mention of a Mr de Bouey.
BR
Laurie.
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April 15, 2005 at 1:20 pm