The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. D W Halton

Derrick Wilson Halton was born on 15th June 1919 in Northampton, the son of John Wilson Halton (1879-1961) and Ethel Ellis (1888-1979).

After school he worked as a journalist at the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph before joining a Fleet Street news agency.

He joined the RAFVR about May 1939 as an Airman u/t Pilot and was called up on 1st September that year. He completed his training at 5 FTS Sealand and was posted to 615 Squadron at Kenley in early July 1940.

Halton was shot down in combat on 15th August and reported 'Missing'. His Hurricane, P2801, may have gone into the sea off Deal.

Halton was 21 and is commemorated at Runnymede, panel 14.

He married Margaret Farmer Mather on 15th September 1939 at St. Marys, Rushden.

(Above photographs courtesy of Peter Halton)

(Above image courtesy of Dean Sumner)

The post-war research into missing Battle airmen, including Halton, is well documented in 'Finding the Few' by Andy Saunders (Grub Street ISBN 13:9781906502553).