Thomas Dalton-Morgan facts for kids

Thomas Frederick Dalton-Morgan (born March 23, 1917 – died September 18, 2004) was a brave fighter pilot for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He was known as a "flying ace" because he shot down many enemy aircraft. He also took part in the famous Battle of Britain, a key air battle, and was one of the pilots known as 'The Few' who defended Britain.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Dalton-Morgan was born in Cardiff, Wales, on March 23, 1917. He went to school at Taunton School.

Joining the RAF

On October 21, 1935, Thomas joined the Royal Air Force (RAF). He started as an acting pilot officer and trained to fly planes. He became a full pilot officer in August 1936. Later, in April 1938, he was promoted to flying officer and joined No. 22 Squadron RAF. Here, he flew a type of plane called the Vickers Vildebeest, which was a torpedo bomber. He also spent some time working at the Air Ministry in London.

In April 1940, Thomas wanted to return to flying. He was promoted to flight lieutenant and joined No. 43 Squadron RAF, also known as "The Fighting Cocks," in June 1940. Even though he had little experience as a fighter pilot, he flew Hawker Hurricane planes from RAF Tangmere. This base was part of No. 11 Group RAF, which protected southern England.

Fighting in the Battle of Britain

Thomas Dalton-Morgan got his first "kill" on July 12, 1940. He helped shoot down a Heinkel He 111 bomber.

On August 13, 1940, the German air force, called the Luftwaffe, started a big attack known as Adlertag (Eagle Day). Their goal was to destroy RAF Fighter Command in southern England. Thomas and his squadron were quickly sent to help other RAF squadrons. They met 20 Junkers Ju 88 bombers from a German unit called Kampfgeschwader 54. These bombers were trying to attack RAF bases like RAF Odiham and RAF Farnborough.

No. 43 Squadron met the German planes between Guildford and Brighton. Thomas attacked a Ju 88. He damaged its rudder and engine. However, his own Hurricane plane was hit by enemy fire. Both planes crashed. The German crew were captured by a local policeman. Thomas had taken off so fast that he hadn't changed out of his regular clothes. This made it hard to convince the policeman he was an RAF pilot and not a German!

Thomas quickly returned to his squadron. Over the next three weeks, he shot down four more enemy aircraft. In early September 1940, he added three Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters to his score. On September 6, he was again hit by Bf 109s. He was wounded in his face and knee and had to crash-land his Hurricane.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on September 6, 1940. This award recognized his bravery and skill. The official message said he showed "great courage and determination" and had destroyed seven enemy aircraft.

After recovering, Thomas returned to No. 43 Squadron on September 7. He took command of the squadron and moved it to Northumberland. There, they got new planes and trained new pilots.

Training New Pilots

After the Battle of Britain ended in October 1940, Thomas focused on teaching new pilots what he had learned. He also worked on making the Hurricane fighter better for night flying. He was very successful, shooting down six more enemy planes at night. One of his best nights was May 6-7, 1941, when he shot down three German bombers over Glasgow. He was promoted to temporary squadron leader on June 1.

On June 8, he shot down another Junkers Ju 88. Two more "kills" followed. On July 24, he found another Ju 88 near May Island. Even though his engine was failing, he kept attacking and shot down the bomber. His engine then completely stopped, forcing him to land on the water, which was very dangerous. The Royal Navy later rescued him.

For this brave attack, he received a Bar to his DFC on May 31, 1941. This meant he received the DFC award a second time. The award noted his "exceptional skill" and that he had destroyed 13 enemy aircraft.

On October 2, 1941, he shot down another bomber near Berwick-on-Tweed. By February 1942, Thomas Dalton-Morgan had shot down at least 14 enemy aircraft and damaged several others. He was then given a break from combat flying.

Distinguished Service Order

After a short time working as a fighter controller at RAF Turnhouse near Edinburgh, he was promoted to temporary wing commander on June 1, 1942. He returned to flying in late 1942 to lead the Ibsley Wing. He commanded eight fighter squadrons, planning long-range attacks and escorting bombers over northern France. He damaged a Bf 109 in December 1943. He then shot down a Focke Wulf 190 fighter and damaged another during a mission over Brest. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on May 25, 1943. This award recognized his continued success, bringing his total victories to 17 aircraft destroyed.

Working with American Forces

Because of his experience escorting bombers, Thomas Dalton-Morgan worked with the 4th Fighter Group of the US 8th Air Force. He flew over 70 combat missions with them. He was promoted to wing commander on December 12, 1943. He then became an operations officer with the 2nd Tactical Air Force.

Before the Normandy Landings (D-Day), he helped plan attacks on ground targets. Sadly, shortly before the war ended, he learned that his brother John had been killed after his de Havilland Mosquito plane was shot down.

After the War

After the war, Thomas stayed in Germany with the 2nd Tactical Air Force. He was promoted to squadron leader on September 1, 1945. He then attended the RAF Staff College and became a senior instructor. He was promoted to wing commander on July 1, 1947. He commanded the Gutersloh Wing, which flew Vickers Vampire jets, before taking command of RAF Wunstorf. He left the RAF on April 4, 1952, with the rank of wing commander.

After leaving the RAF, Thomas Dalton-Morgan worked at the Woomera Test Range in Woomera, Australia. This was a joint UK/Australian facility for testing weapons. He managed it for 30 years before retiring in Australia.

In January 1945, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He was also mentioned in official reports for his brave actions in 1946. In the same year, he received the US Bronze Star Medal.