Sgt A.Harry Deacon of No 111 Squadron baled out of his Hurricane I (N2340) safely on the 18th of August 1940 at 13:20hrs, after combat with Do 17 over Kenly while he was on patrol. His aircraft crashed at Oxted, Kent.

F/Lt E.Chritopher Deanesly of No 152 Squadron was slightly wounded in combat with a Ju 87 on the 25th of July 1940. He was was shot down 3 miles off Portland in a Spitfire I (K9901). After being rescued by a ship he spent some time in hospital before flying again. On the 26th of September 1940 he was shot down and wounded again. This time, 10 miles off Swanage he baled out of his stricken Spitfire I (K9982) after combat with a He 111 and a Bf 109. Deanesly was located by a Lysander and then picked up by the S.S. Empire Henchman.

P/O K.B.L.Debenham joined No 151 Squadron on the 15th of  July 1940. Debenham claimed two victories during August before being shot down in his Hurricane I (R4183) on the 24th of August by a Bf 109. Debenham was badly wounded, including being burned.  P/O K.B.L.Debenham was K.I.A. on the 16th of December 1943, aged 24.

F/O Alan C.Deere, possibly the best known of all the New Zealand fighter pilots, was born in Auckland on December the 12th 1917. He joined the R.A.F. in October 1937 and was posted to No 54 Squadron in September 1938. From the outbreak of war until mid-May 1940 the Squadron, based in England, carried out only defensive duties. On the 23rd of  May 1940 A.C.Deere took part in a daring rescue operation. He and Pilot Officer Allen escorted their flight commander, James Leathart, to France where he was to land a Miles Master trainer and pick up the CO of No 74 Squadron who had made a forced landing on the airfield at Calais-Marck. The pick-up was made, with Allen watching from 8000 feet and Deere circling at low level. An approaching formation of Bf 109's was spotted by Allen as the Master taxied out for take-off. As a strafing Bf 109 pulled out of its dive, presenting a perfect target, Deere fired a short burst and the aircraft stalled and then crashed into the sea. Deere, climbing to help Allen, crossed the path of two Bf 109's, one of which turned towards him. Deere also turned, firing at the second one, which rolled over and dived away. Pursuing the first one, he caught up at treetop height and pursued him, firing off his remaining ammunition before the German headed for home. Diving towards the coast Deere called up Allen and was relieved to hear him answer. In the meantime the Master had taken off and headed for Hornchurch. In the action three Bf 109's had been shot down and three others severely damaged. During four days - 23 to 29 May - Deere shot down three Bf 109's and three Bf 110's and in June was decorated with the D.F.C. by the King at a special ceremony at Hornchurch. J.A.Leathart and Allen were decorated at the same time. During the Battle of Britain Deere destroyed seven more enemy fighters and one bomber and was awarded a Bar to the DFC. on the Ist of December 1940 he was sent for a rest, and in January 1941 became an Operations Room Controller. He returned to operations on 7 May 1941, joining No 602 Squadron in Scotland as a Flight Commander. On the 10th he was scrambled to investigate a Bf 110 flying westwards. He did not sight the enemy aircraft but after landing was told it had crashed near Glasgow. The pilot was later revealed to be Rudolf Hess. Deere took command of No 602 Squadron on August the 1st 1941 and on that day destroyed  a Bf 109, his first victory for eleven months. When his second operational tour ended in January 1942 Deere went to the USA to lecture on fighter tactics but was restless for a return to operations. He achieved this in May 1942, when he took command of No 403 Squadron, leading it until August before being posted to staff duties. During a temporary attachment to No 611 Squadron in February 1943 Deere destroyed an FW 190. Some days later he was appointed Wing Leader  at Biggin Hill. He flew 121 sorties during his six months' leadership and increased his personal score to twenty-two confirmed victories, ten probables and eighteen damaged. Deere was awarded the D.S.O. and also holds the Croix de Guerre and the D.F.C. (US). He was also  awarded an O.B.E. in May 1945 and retired from the RAF in December 1977, with the rank of Air  Commodore.  Deere wrote of his experiences and his many escapes from death in his classic book, 'Nine Lives', published in 1959.

P/O Rodolphe.G.C.deH de Grunne, a Belgian of No 32 Squadron was on patrol on the 16th August 1940 he shot down a Bf 109 and the following day, when a German formation attack on Biggin Hill, No's. 32 and No 610 Squadron's intercepted them, Rodolphe brought down his second Bf 109. On the 18th of August he achieved his third success with a Do 17 but paid for it this time, he baled out of his Hurricane I (V6535) badly burned after combat with a  Bf 109 of JG 26  near Biggin Hill, at 17:35hrs. On the 21st of May 1941 he was flying with No 609 Squadron on a Circus. He was killed when his Spitfire II (P7436) broke up during combat over the Channel.

Sgt A.L.M. Deller joined No 43 Squadron on the 3rd of August 1940. On the 12th of  August Deller forced-landed at Tangmere after a combat. A.L.M.Deller was shot down on the 7th of September 1940 and baled out of his Hurricane I (V7309) unhurt after combat over the Ashford area of Kent at 16:45hrs.

P/O R.A.DeMancha of No 43 Squadron was killed when his Hurricane I (P3973) collided with a Bf 109 of JG 27 on the 21st of July 1940 at 15:15hrs.

F/O R.S.Demetriadi of No 601 Squadron was shot down and killed in a Hurricane I (4092) during combat off Portland, on the 11th of August 1940 at 10:50hrs, aged 21.

P/O G.A.Denby joined No 600 Squadron on the 9th of July 1940. On the 27th of September Denby claimed a "probable" at night, the aircraft was last seen entering clouds on fire. In February 1941 Denby destroyed a He 111 at night. P/O G.A.Denby was awarded the D.F.C. on the 22nd of April 1941.  P/O G.A.Denby was killed on the 12th of December 1942, aged 27, when his Beaufighter developed engine trouble and crashed into the sea.

S/L George Denholm from No 603 Squadron baled out of his Spitfire I (L1067) on the 30th of August 1940 at 11:15hrs over Snargate, Kent after combat with a Bf 110. He was flying his Spitfire I (R7019) on the 15th of September 1940 at 15:10hrs, when he was shot down at Chartway Street Kent during combat with a Do 17. He survived again.

F/O J.P.J.Desloges a Canadian from No 1 (RCAF) Squadron was shot down on the 31st of August 1940 by a Bf 109 while attacking some Do 215's. He baled out of his stricken Hurricane I (N2530) at 17:00hrs over Gravesend, he was  severely burned. J.P.J.Desloges was killed in a flying accident in North Africa on the 8th of May 1944, aged 31.

S/L John S.'Johnie'Dewer commanded No 87 Squadron from November 1939 until the 12th of July 1940. Dewer shot down 24 German aircraft in France in May 1940. He then went on to Command No 213 Squadron until August. He was then promoted to Wing Commander  and Station Commander at Exeter. Dewer was awarded the D.S.O. and the D.F.C. W/C J.S.Dewer was killed on the 12th of September 1940 while on patrol in his  Hurricane I (V7306). He was lost over the coast while flying to Tangmere, probably shot  down. His body was washed ashore on the 30th of September 1940.

P/O R.B.Dewey of No 603 Squadron was K.I.A. on the 27th of October 1940. His  Spitfire II (P7365) was shot down by a Bf 109 of JG 51 south of Maidstone, Kent at14:05hrs.

F/O K.S.Dewhurst of No 234 Squadron baled safely out of his Spitfire I (R6967) near Southampton on the 16th of August 1940 at 17:30hrs. He had been in combat with a Bf 109 over Gosport.

P/O P.G.Dexter flew with No 603 Squadron and No 54 Squadron. He was wounded on the 2nd of October 1940 whilst flying for No 603 Squadron. His Spitfire I (P9553) was shot down by a Bf 109 of JG 53 over Croydon at 10:30hrs. P.G.Dexter was K.I.A. on the 14 of July 1941 when he collided with a Spitfire from No 54 Squadron on Circus No 40. He managed to bale out but did not survive. P.G.Dexter is buried at Samer, France.

P/O W.G.Dickie joined No 601 Squadron in June 1940. Dickie shot down a Do17 on the 7th of July. After combat on the 11th of August 1940 in his Hurricane I (L2057) off Portland, Dickie was posted M.I.A., aged 24.

Sgt J.H.Dickinson of No 253 Squadron was killed on the 30th of August 1940 at 17:15hrs. He baled out of his Hurricane (P3213) was killed near Woodchurch.

F/O I.B.Difford a South African of No 607 Squadron was killed when his Hurricane I (L1728) collided with another Hurricane I (P3860) of his Squadron flown by I.M.W.Scott on the 7th of October 1940 at 16:00hrs.

Sgt M.P.Digby-Worsley of No 248 Squadron was killed on the 19th of August 1940 he was the pilot of a Blenheim IVf (L9457). He and his crew W.H.Want and the pilot Sgt J.H.Round were on a recce of the Norwegian coast and they failed to return.

Sgt F.J.P.Dixon of No 501 Squadron was on patrol on the 11th of July 1940. He baled out of his Hurricane (N2485) but was drowned after being shot down by a BF 109 from III - JG 27 off Portland at 08:00hrs. He was aged 21. Sgt F.P.J.Dixon is buried at Abbeville, France.

W/O G.Dixon of the F.I.U. was on night patrol over the French coast near Calais on the 13th of September 1940. He and his crew (R.G.Ker-Ramsey & E.L.Byrne) baled out of their Blenheim IVf (Z5721) and became P.O.W's.