Sergeant Ernest Arthur Deighton (28 May 1889 – 5 December 1957) was an English World War I observer/gunner

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

credited with 15 confirmed aerial victories; all but one of them was against enemy fighters.

Military career

World War I

Deighton enlisted in the

Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...

on 15 March 1917 as a transport driver. As a

corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...

mechanic, he volunteered to fly as an observer/gunner in the rear seat of No. 20 Squadron's Bristol F.2 Fighters.Franks ''et.al.'' (1997), p. 13. 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 The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military ...

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: :67051 Corporal (Acting-Serjeant) E. A. Deighton, Royal Air Force. (Cheltenham). :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.

World War II

Deighton returned to service during World War II, being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Warwickshire

Army Cadet Force The Army Cadet Force (ACF), generally shortened to Army Cadets, is a national Youth organisations in the United Kingdom, youth organisation sponsored by the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Ministry of Defence and the Bri ...

on 25 November 1942. He finally resigned his commission on 12 May 1945 as a Lieutenant Colonel. After the War Deighton and his wife, Eva, became hoteliers initially in Newquay,then in Bournemouth at Dean Park Lodge, which became his home for the rest of his life. Here, he was affectionately known by staff and guests as “Colonel”.

References

Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Deighton, Ernest 1889 births 1957 deaths People from Masham Royal Flying Corps soldiers Recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal British World War I flying aces Military personnel from North Yorkshire British Army personnel of World War I