Drummond was born on 19 October 1918. His father had served in the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) in the Great War and worked for a timber merchant in civilian life. J F Drummond was educated at Deythur Grammar School, Llansantffraid, north Wales and Wellington School, Somerset, where he was a member of the OTC. He later worked for the same firm as his father. He joined the RAF on a short service commission in early April 1938.
Drummond joined No 46 Squadron at Digby on 14 January 1939. In November, he and other pilots were presented to the King for their part in an action over a convoy in the North Sea on 21 October. Eight or nine He 115s were seen in the vicinity of the convoy; three were shot down and another was damaged, causing it to land on the sea.
He was with the squadron when it went to Norway in late May 1940. Drummond flew a Hurricane off the carrier HMS Glorious on the 26th. On the 29th he destroyed a He 111, on June 2 a Ju 87 and on June 7 he destroyed two He 111s and damaged two more.
He did not rejoin the Glorious when the squadron was withdrawn and thus escaped the fate of most of 46’s pilots, who were lost when the carrier was sunk. He was evacuated by sea by the Royal Navy on 8 June. For service in Norway, Drummond was awarded the DFC on 26 July.
Drummond was posted to No 92 Squadron at Pembrey on 5 September. On the 11th he got a probable Bf 109, on the 23rd claimed a Bf 109 destroyed, on the 24th got a probable Bf 109 and damaged a Ju 88 and a Bf 109, on the 27th he destroyed a Ju 88 and shared a Bf 110, on the 30th got another probable Bf 109 and on 5 October he destroyed a Bf 109 and a Hs 126.
During an attack on a Do 17 over Tangmere on 10 October, Drummond collided with Pilot Officer D G Williams of 92. He baled out, wounded in an arm and a leg, but was too low to allow his parachute to open and he died shortly after landing, in the arms of a priest who had administered last rites. His Spitfire crashed and burned out in Jubilee Field, Portslade.
Drummond was 21 years old. He is buried in Thornton Garden of Rest, Lancashire. His portrait was done by Cuthbert Orde.
