Leslie Dalton-Morris

Sir Leslie Dalton-Morris
Born	7 April 1906
Died	28 October 1976
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1924–1963
Rank	Air Marshal
Commands held	Signals Command Maintenance Command
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath

Air Marshal Sir Leslie Dalton-Morris KBE CB RAF (7 April 1906 – 28 October 1976) was a senior Royal Air Force commander in the middle of the twentieth century. He played a leading role in the use of signals in the Air Force both during and after World War II.

Early years

After joining the RAF as a trainee pilot in 1924, Dalton-Morris underwent instruction at No. 5 Flying Training School at Sealand near Chester.^[1] After a period as a night flying pilot, Dalton-Morris was posted to No. 15 Squadron, before being selected to attend the RAF Electrical and Wireless School in 1929.^[1] Graduating from his course as a flight lieutenant with a permanent commission, Dalton-Morris served as the signals officer on No. 203 Squadron in the early 1930s.^[1] After a tour of duty at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment at RAF Felixstowe, Dalton-Morris returned to the Electrical and Wireless School as an instructor in 1935.^[1]

In 1935 Dalton-Morris attended the RAF Staff College at Andover, Hampshire and received a promotion to squadron leader and in 1938 he was sent to No. 2 Group as a staff officer.^[1]

World War II

The same year as World War II started, Dalton-Morris was appointed the Deputy Chief Signals Officer at the headquarters of Fighter Command at RAF Bentley Priory.^[1] By January 1941 Dalton-Morris had been promoted to wing commander when he returned to No. 2 Group as a signals officer.^[1] The next year he was moved to Bomber Command which was No. 2 Group's higher formation.^[1] He served as the Deputy Chief Signals Officer at Bomber Command's headquarters at RAF High Wycombe.^[1]

In the summer of 1943 Dalton-Morris was promoted to acting air commodore and took up new duties as the Senior Air Staff Officer at No. 26 (Signals) Group which controlled British Radar stations.^[1] In early 1944 Dalton-Morris returned to Bomber Command where he served as the Chief Signals Officer.^[1]

Post-war

After the War Dalton-Morris held a number of senior signals appointments in the RAF, serving as the Director of Radio/Signals, the Commandant of the Central Signals Establishment from 1948 and the Chief Signals Officer at the headquarters of the Middle East Air Force from 1950.^[1]

In March 1952, Dalton-Morris was promoted to acting air vice-marshal and made Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Signals).^[1] He went on to higher command as Air Officer Commanding No 90 (Signals) Group in 1956 and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Signals Command in 1958.^[1] In 1961 Dalton-Morris was promoted to air marshal and having exhausted senior RAF signals appointments, he became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Maintenance Command.^[2] He retired from that post and the RAF just over two years later in July 1963.^[1]

References