The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. W L Dymond

William Lawrence Dymond was born on 11th November 1917, the son of Thomas Dymond and Kathleen Dymond (nee Lawrence).

He was educated at Richmond County School, Surrey.

Dymond joined the RAF in September 1935 as a direct-entry Airman u/t Pilot and after gaining his wings he was posted to 111 Squadron at Northolt in August 1936.

Above: 111 Squadron in 1938

L to R: P/O PA Mortimer, Sgt. Smith, Sgt. WL Dymond, F/O ML Robinson, P/O JG Sanders, P/O RG Dutton, S/Ldr. J Gillan, F/O RPR Powell, F/O CS Darwood, P/O DP Connors.

He married Joan Millicent Bruguier in Uxbridge in July 1939.

Dymond was presented to the King on the royal visit to 111 at Drem in February 1940. On 10th April Dymond shared in destroying a He111. In the second half of May 111 Squadron was split into two flights which were temporarily based on French airfields, it is not known if Dymond was included but by the 19th 111 was back together operating over France from hawkinge.

During a patrol over France he shot down two Do17s on 18th May. Over Dunkirk he destroyed two He111s on 31st May and a Me109 on 11th June. His Hurricane was damaged by return fire from the Heinkels and he came back with damage to his port wing, tail and oil system.

In August the squadron was heavily engaged, flying from Croydon and Debden. Dymond destroyed a Do17 and damaged another on 13th August, destroyed a Me110 and a Do17, probably got another Do17 and damaged two Me110s on the 15th, damaged another Do17 on the 16th, destroyed another and damaged a second on the 18th, shared a He111 on the 24th and damaged a Me110 on the 30th.

During the month Dymond was interviewed on BBC radio and the text appears in the book 'Winged Words', published in 1941.

In a combat over the Thames Estuary on 2nd September Dymond was shot down and killed in Hurricane P3875. With no known grave, he is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 13.

Four days after his death the London Gazette announced the award of the DFM (gazetted 6th September 1940).

Above image courtesy of Dean Sumner