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Brian Lawless Duigan : 1914 - 1972Brian Lawless Duigan, was born on November 15, 1914, the first son of Reginald Charles and Phyllis Mary Duigan and nephew of John Roberson DuiganAfter leaving Geelong College in 1932, Brian worked as a drover on a cattle station in outback Queensland. In 1933 he traveled to South Africa where he worked as a Mining Engineer in Johannesburg and then in 1937, moved to Northern Rhodesia to work at the Hoan Antelope copper mine. In 1938 sensing war was imminent he undertook a remarkable 4,000 mile motor cycle journey across equatorial Africa which saw him arrive in England in June 1939.
In August 1939 Brian joined the RAF, gained his 'wings' and as a commissioned officer was assigned to Bomber Command as a pilot in a Vickers Wellington Squadron. At the end of his European 'Tour' rather than go home he simply volunteered for a second tour, this time in the middle east where he flew in North Africa, Greece, Syria and Iraq. In July 1941 and during this second tour, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery shown under fire whilst bombing Benghazi harbour. A month later however his luck changed and his Wellington was shot down by Vichi French fighters over the Sahara and 100 miles from Port Said, had himself to be rescued. In April 1942 Brian earned a bar to his DFC "on the completion of 20 consecutive low level attacks over enemy objectives" and upon returning to England in June 1942, was personally by George VI. For six months he acted as a test pilot flying all sorts of aircraft 'traditional' and 'hush hush' but eventually was posted to a Lancaster Squadron in which now as a Wing Commander took part in the 1000 bomber raids on Cologne and Essen. In April 1943 he once again eluded the odds and whilst flying a disabled Lancaster on a bombing raid on the Italian naval base of Spezia, he none the less successfully completed the mission and in doing so, won the Distinguished service Order (DSO) Brian married Phyllis Winifred HALES and had two children Virginia Patrica Mary b: 1945 and John Lawless b: 1949. John became a well known filmaker and helped lead the revival of Australian film in the 1970s. Virginia a writer, screen writer and once an 'actress' (appearing in her brother's 'Winter of our Dreams') , married another famous Australian filmaker Bruce Beresford and now lives and works in Australia. Her latest book Days Like These has just been published (Mar. 2001). In DATE Brian returned home to Australia ferrying one of the new English Electric Canberra Bombers. Brian stayed with the RAF after the war and flew jets in Asia and the the Middle east. He even taught the Shah of Iran to fly. In DATE Brian and family settled in Woodend, Victoria, Australia where, uncharacteristically early for a 'Duigan', he died at 58 in 1972.
Images available
 Terry Duigan welcomes his older brother Brian home from Europe, c.1948 Duigan Family Archives A 500 pixel image may also be downloaded
 Terry Duigan welcomes his older brother Brian home from Europe, c.1948 Original photo as used in above newspaper article Duigan Family Archives A 500 pixel image may also be downloaded
 Terry Duigan welcomes his brother home from Europe, c.1948 (Detail) Detail from original photo as used in above newspaper article Duigan Family Archives A 500 pixel image may also be downloaded
In addition to the portrait above, the full image is also available in four formats 250pixels, 350pixels and 500pixels all at 72dpi and 500pixels at 300dpi for reproduction
 Terry, Reginald, Brian and Michael (5 years), "Raith", Geelong, 1948 Duigan Family Archives A 350 pixel or 500 pixel image may also be downloaded
Further Reading
John and Reginald Duigan - Australian Aviation Pioneers
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