Captain Stuart Grant-Dalton

[greg100]

Good afternoon all,

The above Officer (Yorkshire Regiment and RFC) was awarded a Distinguished Service Order in July 1916 (LG 27-7-1916) and a bar to his DSO later that same year (25-11-1916), the first of which was, I believe, for service in Egypt.

Can any forum members provide a little further details on his WW1 service? I'm trying to find a link between Stuart Grant-Dalton in WW1, and Hugh Grant-Dalton, who was a flight commander on 100 Squadron in 1944, then flew with the 1 Group Special Duties Flight, and won a DFC and bar in 1944.

Many thanks and best wishes as always,

Greg

[dundeesown]

You may have them but his Aviator Certificate + picture are on Ancestry.

Gary

[nieuport11]

29.10.15 RAeC Certificate 2053 on a Maurice Farman at Military School, Shoreham (3 Reserve Sqdn)

06.01.16 To be Flying Officer

01.06.16 To be Fight Commander

21.07.16 Wounded by fire from enemy machine - flying BE2c with 14Sq in Sinai

27.07.16 Award for conspicuous gallantry and resource (Gazette 1916 p 7428)

01.12.16 Mentioned in despatches (Gazette 1916 p11803)

09.03.17 Awarded Order of the Nile 4th Class (Gaz 1917 p2450)

01.05.17 To be Wing Commander and Major

01.11.17 To be Wing Commander and Temp Major

31.10.18 Injured after getting into thick mist and crashing Copmanthorpe-Beverley with HQ 8 Wing (BE2e A1330)

Military record is probably AIR 76/121/41 although it is just titled S. Dalton

[greg100]

Many thanks for the quick replies chaps.

Gary - I don't have them, but I'll have a look, thanks for the heads-up

Nieuport - Many thanks indeed for that detailed list of his career, great stuff indeed

Grant-Dalton isn't a common name, so I'm sure there must be a link between the Stuart and Hugh somewhere along the line, and hopefully, especially with the ancestry.com info, I'll now be able to make it. Many thanks again.

Very best wishes,

Greg

[topgun1918]

GRANT-DALTON, Captain Stuart, No 14 Squadron:

Born in Wincanton on 5 April 1886 he was educated at Uppingham and Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Yorkshire Regiment in 1906. Wounded at Ypres in April 1915, he transferred into the RFC. He went to Egypt where he was severely wounded in July 1916. Although he suffered the amputation of one foot he continued to fly. He was aboard SS Omrah when it was torpedoed off Salonika on 12 May 1918 on the return journey after disembarking troops in Marseilles.

The London Gazette offers the following citations for his DSOs:

War Office,

27th July 1916.

His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the appointment of the undermentioned Officers to be Companions of the Distinguished Service Order, in recognition of their gallantry and devotion to duty in the field:—

Capt. Stuart Grant-Dalton, York. R., and R.F.C.

For conspicuous gallantry and resource. When on return from escort duty his observer, 2nd Lt. Paris, discovered one of our machines which had been forced to land in enemy country owing to damage by hostile fire. Capt. Grant-Dalton with great gallantry landed, destroyed the machine, which was past repair, and returned ninety miles to his aerodrome with his observer and the pilot of the other machine.

War Office,

25th November 1916.

The undermentioned have been awarded a Bar to their Distinguished Service Order for subsequent acts of conspicuous gallantry:—

Capt. Stuart Grant-Dalton, D.S.O., York. R.

For conspicuous gallantry in action. He attacked two hostile aeroplanes, although quite unsupported. Later, after being attacked by another enemy machine and wounded in three places, he brought his machine back and landed safely.

(The Distinguished Service Order was awarded in London Gazette dated 27th July 1916.)

In addition to the DSO and Bar, Grant-Dalton was Mentioned in Despatches three times, received the Air Force Cross (3 June 1919) and the Order of the Nile, 4th Class (9 March 1917).

Graeme

[HarryBrook]

Actg. Squadron Leader Hugh Harold Grant-Dalton (1921 - 2015) was the son of Capt. Leslie Grant-Dalton (1889 - 1956). Leslie Grant-Dalton was the son of Colin Grant-Dalton (1858-1898).

Capt. Stuart Grant-Dalton (1886 - 1971) was the son of Horace Grant-Dalton (1853 - 1899).

Colin and Horace Grant-Dalton were brothers, and the sons of Dalton Foster Grant-Dalton (1812 - 1890).

So Hugh Harold Grant-Dalton's father and Stuart Grant-Dalton were cousins. I think this makes Hugh Harold Grant-Dalton the cousin of Stuart Grant-Dalton once removed.

All these connections can be checked on ancestry and a bit of googling.

[Errol Martyn]

From Gp Capt C M Hanson’s By Such Deeds – Honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923 – 1999 :

GRANT-DALTON, Wing Commander Stuart, DSO*, AFC, mid(2), Order of the Nile (Egypt).

No number. Born Bournemouth, Hampshire, England, 5 Apr 1886; Green Howards 1906; Yorkshire Regt 1913 to 1915; RFC/RAF 6 Jan 1916 to 6 May 1929, 01079; Director Air Services and OC NZPAF 1 Oct 1929 to 30 Sep 1931; Pilot.

Later Wg Cdr S Grant-Dalton, DSO*, AFC, mid(2), Order of the Nile (Egypt), RAF 27 Sep 1939 to 10 Jul 1940, 01079.

Citation Mention in Despatches (1) (Apr 1915): For distinguished services in the Field.

Citation Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (27 Jul 1916): [14 Sqn RFC (BE2c)] To Captain S Grant-Dalton, Yorkshire Regiment and Royal Flying Corps. For conspicuous gallantry and resource. When on return from escort duties, his observer, 2nd Lieutenant Paris, discovered one of our machines which had been forced to land in enemy country owing to damage by hostile fire. Captain Grant-Dalton with great gallantry, landed, destroyed the machine which was past repair, and returned ninety miles to his aerodrome with his observer, and the pilot of the other machine. This action took place during a bombing raid on El Arish in the Sinai Desert on 18 Jun 1916 and involved the rescue of a pilot of 17 Sqn RFC.

Citation Bar to Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (23 Nov 1916): [14 Sqn, RFC (BE2c)] For conspicuous gallantry in action. He attacked two hostile aeroplanes although quite unsupported. Later after being attacked by another enemy machine and wounded in three places, he brought his machine back and landed safely. As a result of his wounds, on 21 Jul 1916, Capt Grant-Dalton lost a leg. He had earlier been wounded at Ypres, France, in Apr 1915.

Citation Mention in Despatches (2) (1 Dec 1916): From the despatch from General Sir Archibald Murray - More than half the month of July passed without any important occurrence on the Eastern Front. On July 19th, however, the situation suddenly changed. A reconnaissance by the Royal Flying Corps revealed the fact that a large enemy force had moved westwards from El Arish and established itself on the line Bir El Abd-Bir Jameil-Bir Bayaud....I cannot speak too highly of the work of the Royal Flying Corps during the whole period. Their work was extremely arduous and exhausting. The average total daily reconnaissance during the period amounted to 23 1/4 hours, and during the first five days of August to as much as 31 1/2 hours. Many pilots and observers were out two or three times a day for several consecutive days under very accurate anti-aircraft fire and were frequently engaged in air combats with enemy machines of superior power. Included in the list of officers ‘mentioned’ in this Despatch was the name of Capt S Grant-Dalton, DSO.

Citation Order of the Nile (4th Class) (Egypt) (9 Mar 1917 - Conferred by the Sultan of Egypt, 20 Nov 1916): Not available. During the period preceding this award Flt Lt Grant-Dalton served with 14 Sqn RFC in Egypt.

Citation Air Force Cross (3 Jun 1919): Not available. In the period preceding this award Wg Cdr Grant-Dalton commanded 32 Training Wing RAF, with units at Suez, Ismailia, Kantara, Abu Sueir and in Palestine.

Died Pinhoe, Devon, England, Jan 1971.

Errol

[Errol Martyn]

Graeme,

Do you have the date of Grant-Dalton's third mid, please?

Errol

[Errol Martyn]

Leo White in his history of New Zealand aviation, ‘Wingspread’, first published in 1941, provides an entertaining insight into Grant-Dalton’s character:

On reaching the “A" licence test stage many pupils had some very anxious moments when Wing-Commander S. Grant Dalton, D.S.O., A.F.C., examined them. “G.D.,” as he was known, was the Director of Air Services, and nobody took a greater delight in acting as examiner. While conducting one of the first series of tests at Mangere, Auckland, "G.D." frowningly watched a pupil make a flat turn. The unhappy embryo pilot, just feeling his wings, was not far from the landing ground, with the prospect of making the ace of all bounces. Everybody held his breath for the bump, but the pilot, by miraculous good fortune, gave a burst of throttle in a last desperate gamble, and the Moth slipped the last few yards to the turf with almost a professional touch. "G.D." carried a very large pencil which at times looked like a young tree to many an embarrassed pilot. He waved it at the instructor.

"That," he said, "was the worst exhibition of flying I have ever seen – and the best demonstration of how to save a machine from damage. Enough of that fellow for to-day." "G.D.'s" gruff manner was habitual, but underneath it he had a very human understanding of young pilots. His sense of humour, too, was a most lovable trait, and he not infrequently referred to his wooden leg – a souvenir of World War l. – as his "undercart," or by the name of "George."

A scene on the Canterbury Aero Club ground comes to mind. A would-be pilot on making his "S" turns came lower and lower, faster and faster until he dashed his machine on to the top of the curved roof of one of the old Air Force hangars. "G.D." squinted up at the wrecked Moth until he saw a scared pilot move out of the wreckage.

"You've failed," piped "G.D." "Next please."

Errol

[topgun1918]

Erroll

For the life of me I can't find the date of the third Mention; I've got three noted in the thumbnail biography I put together some while back but without showing the date of each. I'll have a trawl though my databases and see what pops up.

Graeme

[greg100]

Graeme, Harry, and Errol,

Many thanks indeed for those hugely comprehensive replies, which have added much new information for me.

Harry - I'll follow through on your gen that they were cousins once removed. Hugh was something of a legend on 100 in WW2, and his efforts as part of the 1 Group Special Duties Flight were the stuff of legend. If I can tie in Stuart as another highly-decorated member of his family, it'll create a nice bit of interest alongside the main story.

Errol - long time no speak!! I hope you are well. Thanks for your detailed breakdown of his career I see my boys are travelling to the land of the long white cloud this summer - go easy on them will you?!

Thanks again to all, best wishes as always,

Greg

[Guest]

I have just purchased a campaign bath tub from a charity shop with the name Capt L Grant-Dalton and an address in Bexhill-on-Sea... do you think this could be the father? Would love to know more about its history.

[F2Andy]

On 24/03/2016 at 11:40, greg100 said:

Good afternoon all,

The above Officer (Yorkshire Regiment and RFC) was awarded a Distinguished Service Order in July 1916 (LG 27-7-1916) and a bar to his DSO later that same year (25-11-1916), the first of which was, I believe, for service in Egypt.

Can any forum members provide a little further details on his WW1 service? I'm trying to find a link between Stuart Grant-Dalton in WW1, and Hugh Grant-Dalton, who was a flight commander on 100 Squadron in 1944, then flew with the 1 Group Special Duties Flight, and won a DFC and bar in 1944.

Many thanks and best wishes as always,

Greg

I appreciate this is over six years late, but perhaps you will get a e-mail alert that someone has posted!

My grandfather was serving in Egypt with Capt Stuart Grant Dalton in 1916. I have just been transcribing his diary, and he talks about the event on June 17th that led to him getting the DSO a month later. There is a newspaper cutting that I have also transcribed.

https://family2315.blogspot.com/2022/10/bernards-war-diary-part-4-katia.html

 

[Michelle Young]

@greg100 last visited the forum last year, but my tag may alert him to your post. 

[nils d]

On 24/03/2016 at 23:56, topgun1918 said:

Erroll

For the life of me I can't find the date of the third Mention; I've got three noted in 

Graeme

It is my understanding that an MID came automatically with a DSO citation so that accounts for two of the MIDs.The third is from Murray's despatch.

[topgun1918]

The initial Royal Warrant governing the award of the DSO, dated 6 September 1886, carried the statement:

Whereas We have taken into Our Royal consideration that the means of adequately rewarding the distinguished services of Officers in Our Naval and Military Services who have been honourably mentioned in Despatches are limited; now for the purpose of attaining an end so desirable is that of rewarding individual instances of meritorious or distinguished service in war, We have instituted and created and by these presents, for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, do institute and create a new Naval and Military Order of Distinction — to be designated as hereinafter described — which We are desirous should be highly prized by the Officers of Our Naval and Military Services, and We are graciously pleased to make, ordain, and establish the following rules and ordinances for the government of the same, which shall henceforth be inviolably observed and kept;

Fourthly.  It is ordained that no person shall be eligible for this distinction who doth not actually hold, at the time of his nomination, a Commission in Our Navy, in Our Land Forces, or Marines, or Our Indian or Colonial Naval or Military Forces, or a Commission in one of the Departments of our Navy or Army, the holder of which is entitled to Honorary or relative Navy or Army rank, nor shall any person be nominated unless his services shall have been marked by the especial mention of his name, by the Admiral or Senior Naval Officer Commanding a Squadron or detached Naval Force, or by the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in the Field, in Despatches for meritorious or distinguished service in the Field, or before the enemy.

This remained in effect and was reinforced by the Royal Warrant of 1 April 1918, which included the statement:

Fourthly: It is ordained that no person shall be eligible for this distinction who doth not actually hold, at the time of his nomination, a Commission in Our Navy, in Our Land Forces or Marines, in Our Air Force or in Our Indian or Colonial Naval or Military Forces, or a Commission in one of the Departments of Our Navy, Army or Air Force, the holder of which is entitled to Honorary or relative Navy, Army or Air Force rank, nor shall any person be nominated unless his services shall have been marked by the especial mention of his name, by the Admiral or Senior Naval Officer Commanding a Squadron or detached Naval Force, or by the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in the Field, in despatches for meritorious or distinguished service in the Field, or before the enemy. 

So it was necessary to have been Mentioned in Despatches before the award of the DSO could be considered.  As far as I am aware, this stipulation remained effective until 1943. 

The Mentions that I have been able to locate so far were in the London Gazette of 1 January 1916 (number 29422, page 38) - Grant-Dalton, Captain S. (Adjutant, Yorkshire Regiment (Territorial Force)) and London Gazette of 1 December 1916 (number 29845, page 11803) - Royal Flying Corps - ... Grant-Dalton, Capt. S., D.S.O., York. R. ...

Graeme

 

Edited 28 October , 2022 by topgun1918