The Airmen's Stories - S/Ldr. T F Dalton-Morgan

Thomas Frederick Dalton Morgan was born in Cardiff on 23rd March 1917 and educated at Kings Monkton School, Cardiff. He was a descendant of the buccaneer Sir Henry Morgan and the Cromwellian general Sir Thomas Morgan.

He joined the RAF on a short service commission and began his initial flying course on 26th August 1935. He was posted to 11 FTS Wittering on 2nd November and after completing his training he joined 22 (Torpedo-Bomber) Squadron at Donibristle on 2nd November 1936.

Morgan went to the Air Ministry on 29th May 1939, on the staff of the Directorate of Training. He arrived at 6 OTU Sutton Bridge on 4th June 1940 for a refresher course. After converting to Hurricanes he joined 43 Squadron at Tangmere on 15th June as 'B' Flight Commander.

On 3rd July he damaged a Do17, on the 12th and 13th Morgan shared in the destruction of two He111's, on the 21st he destroyed one Me109 and damaged another, on 8th August destroyed a Me109, a Ju87 and probably another and on the 13th he shot down a He111.

In this engagement Morgan’s Hurricane, P3972, was damaged by cross-fire from He111's over Petworth and he baled out, slightly wounded.

On 4th September he claimed two Me110's destroyed and on the 6th he destroyed a Me109 and damaged another. On this day he crashed at Tangmere after combat with Me109's over Dungeness, in Hurricane V6542, wounded in the knee.

He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 6th September 1940).

On 16th September 1940 Morgan was promoted to Acting Squadron Leader and took command of 43 Squadron. During the night of 5th/6th May 1941 he destroyed a Ju88 and another enemy aircraft and on the night of the 6th/7th he shot down a Ju88. He was awarded a Bar to the DFC (gazetted 30th May 1941).

Morgan destroyed a Ju88 during the night of 8th/9th June, destroyed a He111 on 11th July and shared a Ju88 on the 24th. Immediately afterwards his own engine failed and he landed on the sea, losing two front teeth on impact with the reflector sight in the process. Morgan got into his dinghy, was picked up by HMS Ludlow, transferred to a trawler and taken to hospital at Aberdeen.

He destroyed Ju88 at night on 2nd October 1941. In January 1942 Morgan was posted away to Controller duties at Turnhouse. In November he was promoted and made Wing Commander Ops at 13 Group. He was then appointed Wing Leader at Middle Wallop and on 1st December 1942 he damaged a Me109.

In early 1943 Morgan was made Wing Leader of the Ibsley Wing and on 5th April he shot down a Fw190 and damaged another. Here he had eight fighter squadrons under him, with the task of mounting long-range offensive sorties over northern France and providing scouts for the tactical bomber squadrons.

He was awarded the DSO (gazetted 25th May 1943) and then went on attachment to the US 4th Fighter Group, to advise on long-range bomber-escort operations.

In early 1944 Morgan went as Operations Officer at 11 Group, as a Group Captain. He went to Europe with the 2nd TAF after the invasion.

A month before the end of the war in Europe, Dalton-Morgan learned that his only brother, John, who also had the DFC, had been shot down and killed flying a Mosquito.

Dalton-Morgan remained in Germany with 2nd Tactical Air Force after the war before attending the RAF Staff College, and becoming a senior instructor at the School of Land/Air Warfare. Later he commanded the Gutersloh Wing, flying Vampire jets, before taking command of RAF Wunsdorf.

He was made an OBE (gazetted 14th June 1945). He received a Mention in Despatches in 1946 and was awarded the Bronze Star (US) by President Harry S. Truman.

Morgan resigned his commission on 4th November 1952.

On leaving the service in 1952, Dalton-Morgan joined the UK/Australian Joint Project, at Woomera, where he managed the weapons range for the next 30 years before retiring in Australia.

He made regular trips home to visit the missile testing range at Aberporth, to see his family and to attend service reunions. He was a vice-president of the Hawker Hurricane Society.

He died in Australia on 18th September 2004.

His portrait was made by Cuthbert Orde in 1940 and 1941 (below).