Ernest Deighton
Encyclopedia
Sergeant Ernest Arthur Deighton was a World War I flying ace
observer/gunner credited with 15 confirmed aerial victories; all but one of them was against enemy fighters.
Ernest Arthur Deighton enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps
on 15 March 1917 as a transport driver. As a Corporal
Mechanic, he volunteered to fly as an observer/gunner in the rear seat of No.20 Squadron's Bristol F.2 Fighter
s.
Deighton flew as an observer/gunner for four pilot aces: Captain Wilfred Beaver
, Lieutenants David Weston
, Leslie Capel, and Ernest Lindup
. Deighton scored his first victory on 11 April 1918 and closed out his string on 23 June 1918. In total, he was credited with destroying ten enemy fighters and an observation plane, and with four other German fighters claimed 'out of control'.
Deighton was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal
on 7 June 1918. He and Beaver were forced down by a German Albatros D.V
on 13 June 1918, but were uninjured. However, Deighton was subsequently injured on 15 July 1918 and returned to Britain.
Deighton's Distinguished Conduct Medal was gazetted to him on 1 October 1918. The award citation read:
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. In little more than a fortnight he has shot down five enemy aircraft. He has shown remarkable marksmanship and coolness in action, and is a valuable asset in his squadron."
Unusually, the original award recommendations still exist. One of them was written on 27 May 1918; Captain Beaver followed up with a second one two days later. Both give more detailed accounts of Deighton's exploits than the award citation, mainly enumerating his aerial victories.
Deighton apparently returned to service during World War II, as he resigned his Second lieutenant
's commission in the Warwicks on 12 May 1945.
Nothing more is known of him until his death in Bournemouth
, England on 5 December 1957.
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
observer/gunner credited with 15 confirmed aerial victories; all but one of them was against enemy fighters.
Ernest Arthur Deighton enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
on 15 March 1917 as a transport driver. As a Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
Mechanic, he volunteered to fly as an observer/gunner in the rear seat of No.20 Squadron's Bristol F.2 Fighter
Bristol F.2 Fighter
The Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...
s.
Deighton flew as an observer/gunner for four pilot aces: Captain Wilfred Beaver
Wilfred Beaver
-Early life and ground service:After passing his childhood in his native England, Beaver sailed for Canada. His parents separated in 1911, and he was shipped off to Montreal, Canada. He was supposed to live with his uncle and study dentistry. He enlisted in the First Canadian Heavy Battery of the...
, Lieutenants David Weston
David Weston
David Weston – British Author and Railway Artist-Biography:David Weston was born in 1935.David Weston's first gallery and workshop was in Leicester in the late 1960s, on or near Barkby Road...
, Leslie Capel, and Ernest Lindup
Ernest Lindup
Lieutenant Ernest Lindup was a South African World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.Lindup scored five victories between 4 February and 31 May 1918 while flying a Bristol F.2 Fighter. His observer gunners included fellow aces M. B...
. Deighton scored his first victory on 11 April 1918 and closed out his string on 23 June 1918. In total, he was credited with destroying ten enemy fighters and an observation plane, and with four other German fighters claimed 'out of control'.
Deighton was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
on 7 June 1918. He and Beaver were forced down by a German Albatros D.V
Albatros D.V
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Bennett, Leon. Gunning for the Red Baron. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2006. ISBN 1-58544-507-X....
on 13 June 1918, but were uninjured. However, Deighton was subsequently injured on 15 July 1918 and returned to Britain.
Deighton's Distinguished Conduct Medal was gazetted to him on 1 October 1918. The award citation read:
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. In little more than a fortnight he has shot down five enemy aircraft. He has shown remarkable marksmanship and coolness in action, and is a valuable asset in his squadron."
Unusually, the original award recommendations still exist. One of them was written on 27 May 1918; Captain Beaver followed up with a second one two days later. Both give more detailed accounts of Deighton's exploits than the award citation, mainly enumerating his aerial victories.
Deighton apparently returned to service during World War II, as he resigned his Second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
's commission in the Warwicks on 12 May 1945.
Nothing more is known of him until his death in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, England on 5 December 1957.
Reference
- Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914-1918. Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest, Gregory Alegi. Grub Street, 1997. ISBN 1898697566, 9781898697565.
- Bristol F2 Fighter Aces of World War I. Jon Guttman, Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1846032016, 9781846032011.
External links
- The Aerodrome contains a list of his aerial victories, as well as his photo
- has the rough draft of his DCM recommendations listed under the name of Wilfred Beaver