Robert Chippindall Dafforn

Robert Chippindall Dafforn was born on 2 March 1916 at Horton, near Windsor in Berkshire. He came to fly with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and, in mid-September 1939, was posted as a sergeant pilot to No. 501 Squadron, with which he would serve through the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. Commissioned in April 1940, he flew Hawker Hurricanes during the fighting over southern England, claiming a string of victories before being wounded in an action against Messerschmitt Bf 109s in early December 1940. He recovered and rejoined the squadron, and on 17 January 1941 was gazetted for the Distinguished Flying Cross, his tally eventually reaching around eight enemy aircraft destroyed. Later postings took him to instructing duties, to No. 229 Squadron in Malta in 1942, and finally to the Central Gunnery School at Sutton Bridge as chief flying instructor. On 9 September 1943 his Spitfire’s wingtip struck the ground during a low-level air-firing exercise; he was killed in the crash and is buried at White Waltham.