Dalton, Ronald William (Oral history)

British NCO served as navigator with 604 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1940-1943; served as instructor on night flying techniques in GB, 1943-1944; officer served with 25 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Maidstone, 1918-1939: family; education; joining Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 6/1939; attitude to Munich Crisis, 1938. Period of training as navigator with RAF in GB, 1939-1940: pattern of training; sight of aerial operations over Maidstone during Battle of Britain, summer 1940. Recollections of operations as NCO navigator with 604 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1940-1943: joining unit at RAF Middle Wallop during German Air Force attack c8/1940; unit morale, 9/1940; use of A1 radar equipped Bristol Beaufighters, early 1941; shooting down of first German aircraft, 5/1941; reaction to loss of comrade; using A1 radar; memories of John Cunningham; coping with cold in Bristol Blenheim cockpits; night interceptions, 1940-1941; degree of danger from British anti-aircraft fire over cities; log book details of patrols and kills, 1941. REEL 2 Continues: log book details of patrols and kills, 1941; interception and shooting down of Heinkel 177, 3/1943; reaction of RAF to find Heinkel 177 operating outside Russia; missing out on reward for five hundredth aircraft in their sector; leaving unit, 13/7/1943; unsuccessful attempts to intercept Focke Wulf Condors from RAF Predannick, c1/1943-3/1943; move to RAF Scorton for defence of Hull, c5/1943. Period as instructor in night interception at RAF Twinwood Farm, 1943- 1944: question of need for skills in flying; story of crash landing in Bristol Beaufighter during instruction, 1943. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as navigator with 25 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1944-1945: joining unit at RAF Coltishall, 3/1944; opinion of De Havilland Mosquito; near accident during landing at RAF Coltishall, 20/6/1944; Mark 10 radar equipment carried on night intruder work over Germany; reaction to pursuit by German night fighter; move to RAF Castle Camps; shooting down of V1, 9/7/1944; techniques for intercepting V1s; port engine failure during patrol over Lista, Norway, 30/3/1945. Attitude to having served with 604 and 25 Sqdns, RAF. Memories of victory celebrations, 5/1945.