Air Commodore R G Dutton (39072)
Roy
Gilbert b:
2 Mar 1917
r: 3 Dec 1970
d: 14 Sep 1988
CBE
– 10 Jun 1966, DSO – 8 Jun 1945, DFC – 31 May 1940, Bar
– 20 Aug 1940, MiD - 8 Jun 1944.
Act
Plt Off (P):
24 Aug 1936 [29 Jun 1936], Plt Off: 29
Jun 1937, Fg Off: 21 Jan 1939,
Flt Lt (WS): 3 Sep 1940, Act Sqn Ldr: 1 Apr 1941, (T) Sqn Ldr: 1 Dec 1941, Act Wg
Cdr: xx xxx xxxx, (T) Wg
Cdr: 1 Jul 1944,
Sqn Ldr: 26 Mar 1946 [1 Jun 1944],
Wg Cdr: 1 Jul
1950, Act Gp Capt: xx
Dec 1955?, Gp Capt: 1 Jul 1957, Act
A/Cdre: 2 May 1968, A/Cdre:
Retained.
29 Jun
1936: U/T Pilot.
24 Aug
1936: Appointed to a
Short Service Commission.
24
Apr 1937:
Pilot, No 111 Sqn.
xx
Apr 1940: Flight
Commander, No 145 Sqn.
xx
Apr 1941: Officer
Commanding, No 452 Sqn.
xx
Jun 1941:
Officer Commanding, No 19 Sqn.
xx
Jul
1941:
Air Staff, Air Ministry.
xx
Mar 1942: Attended
No 54 OTU.
xx
Apr 1942:
Flight Commander, No 141 Sqn.
29
Jun 1942:
Transferred to RAFO and called up for service
xx Nov
1942: Staff, No 1
ADF
xx May
1943: Staff, HQ RAF Middle
East.
xx Sep
1943: Officer
Commanding, Ferry Control, RAF Habbaniya.
xx Apr
1944: SASO, HQ
No 249 Wing.
xx Dec
1944: Wing
Commander - Operations, HQ No 46 Group.
xx
Jan 1945:
Officer Commanding, No 512 Sqn.
xx
Jun 1945:
Officer Commanding, No 525
Sqn.
26 Mar
1946: Appointed to a
Permanent Commission in the rank of Squadron Leader
(retaining rank current at the time)
[wef 1 Sep 1945 antedated to 1 Jun 1944 on 25 Feb 1947]
xx
Mar 1946:
Officer Commanding, No 46 Sqn.
xx
Jul
1946:
xx
Mar 1954: Officer
Commanding, RAF Seaton Snook
xx
Dec 1955:
Officer Commanding, RAF Waterbeach
1
Mar 1958:
Air Liaison Officer, New Zealand.
1
Aug 1960: Staff
Officer, Department of the CAS.
29
Apr 1963:
Senior Personnel Staff Officer, HQ Bomber Command.
16
Feb 1965 - 3 Dec 1970:
ADC to The Queen
2
May 1968:
Air Attaché, Moscow.
Born in Ceylon and educated in
England, he joined the RAF on a short service commission in 1936.
Initially trained and operating as a fighter pilot, he later transferred to
transport operations. As a fighter pilot, he became one of the highest
scoring pilots of the Battle of Britain, his final tally standing at 13
confirmed with six shared, one unconfirmed, two probables and eight damaged with
one shared.
Taking command of No 512 Squadron, the unit was part
of No 46 Group and with its Dakota's was tasked with tactical support.
Initially based at Broadwell it moved to Evere in Belgium in March 1945.
However, by the time of the squadron's move back to Holme on Spalding
Moor in August, he had already returned to the UK and taken command of No 525
Squadron at Membury. When he took
over command, the squadron was involved in trooping flights to India but these
changed to the trooping of soldiers into Greece from Egypt in September.
From February 1946, they began mail and newspaper schedules within Europe
but the following month he left to assume command of No 46 Squadron at RAF
Stoney Cross. With 46, he was
involved in flying scheduled freight services to the Middle East using Stirling
V's until May when the squadron converted to Dakota's, however two months later
he left the squadron for?.
Citation
for the award of the Distinguished Service Order
"Acting
Wing Commander Roy Gilbert DUTTON, D.F.C. (39072), R.A.F.O., 512 Sqn.
This officer was detailed
to lead the glider train comprising well over 400 tug and glider combinations
which conveyed members of the airborne division concerned to a point
between Weser and Emmerich in March, 1945. Keenly aware of the responsibility
entrusted to him, Wing Commander. Dutton led this great force with skill
and good judgment to the, battle area. First to reach the zone, his tug glider
combination was subjected to heavy fire but Wing Commander Dutton flew straight
and steady to the landing zone several miles behind the enemy's lines. Only when
sure that the glider could reach the objective would, he give the order to
release. This officer displayed skill, courage and devotion to duty of the
highest order."
(London Gazette - 8 June
1945)
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