Air Vice-marshal Deryck Stapleton
Decorated airman who commanded Vulcan bomber squadrons carrying Britain’s nuclear deterrent
AIR VICE-MARSHAL DERYCK STAPLETON, who has died aged 100, began his career in the RAF flying biplanes on operations in Palestine and 30 years later flew a Vulcan bomber on a round-the-world tour.
Stapleton had joined No 14 Squadron in March 1937 when it was based at Amman in Transjordan.
It was equipped with the Fairey Gordon biplane, which was soon to be replaced by the Vickers Wellesley. Stapleton flew sorties in support of Army operations during the Palestine troubles.
Early in 1939 reconnaissance flights were mounted over the Jordan Valley and coastal patrols were flown to locate ships attempting to land illegal immigrants and arms into Palestine. In March 1939 he was awarded the AFC for his outstanding flying during 25 counter-insurgency operations. He was also Mentioned in Despatches.
After the entry of Italy into the Second World War in June 1940, Stapleton was ordered to take his flight to Port Sudan for operations over the Red Sea and in Abyssinia. The rest of the squadron soon joined and it was heavily involved in operations against the Italians.
Stapleton led bombing attacks against Asmara, Kassala and Massawa when Italian fighters became an increasing threat. He also led a raid by five aircraft against an Italian forward airfield on the Sudan-libya border, which involved a round trip of eight hours over the featureless desert and scrub. On arrival at the airfield the expected enemy aircraft had left and, after a bombing run, the five crews headed back.
Blenheims replaced the Wellesleys in September 1940 and shortly afterwards Stapleton was appointed as the squadron commander. On September 26, a Gladiator fighter misidentified his Blenheim for an Italian bomber and opened fire. Stapleton was wounded but he managed to land his severely damaged aircraft.
On November 26, he was leading a flight of six aircraft to attack a storage area at Nefesit, when he spotted a Blenheim making a forced landing. He instructed the rest of his formation to circle overhead as he landed among the rough scrub alongside the stricken aircraft. The three crew members scrambled aboard Stapleton’s aircraft and the heavily laden Blenheim staggered into the air after a long run through the camel thorn and rocks.
For this action Stapleton was awarded an immediate DFC, the citation noting his “courageous leadership, skill and daring, which are characteristic of all this officer’s operations against the enemy”.
At the beginning of 1941 the Army began an offensive to drive the Italians out of Abyssinia and No 14 Squadron mounted daily bombing attacks. In March, Stapleton led attacks during the crucial Battle of Keren, which led to the retreat of Italian forces.
In a final defiant gesture on April 3, the Italian Navy escaped from Massawa to the Red Sea. Four destroyers had sailed and Stapleton led a force to bomb the already crippled Manin, which was destroyed.
No 14 Squadron left for the Western Desert and Stapleton continued to see a great deal of action. He attacked enemy landing grounds and the airfield of Maleme on Crete; he saw action during the brief Syrian campaign and also in northern Iraq; and he carried out a leaflet drop over Tehran on August 25. He finally handed over command in October after serving on the squadron for four years and flying more than 100 operational missions.
Deryck Cameron Stapleton was born in Colombo, Ceylon (now
Sri Lanka), on January 15 1918 and educated at King Edward VI School, Totnes. His younger brother Basil was a Battle of Britain pilot who was also awarded the DFC.
Stapleton joined the RAF in May 1936 and, after training as a pilot, left for Jordan to begin his long period of service with No 14 Squadron. In late 1941 he joined the operations staff of Air Vice-marshal Coningham at Air Headquarters Western Desert.
In his new post, Coningham told Stapleton: “You are to be my ears and eyes with the squadrons so get to know them, fly with them and advise me.” He was given a Gladiator, later replaced by Hurricane, and he spent the next few months visiting and flying with the squadrons.
He returned to the UK in mid-1942 and served in the plans division of the Air Ministry and as staff officer to the Vice Chief of Air Staff. When he left 18 months later he was again Mentioned in Despatches.
In July 1944 Stapleton left for Italy to take command of No 254 (Bomber) Wing of the Balkan Air Force, which included Greek and South African squadrons. Targets were attacked in Yugoslavia and northern Italy. At the end of the war he was Mentioned in Despatches for a third time.
For three years he served as air staff officer in the Cabinet Office before commanding RAF Odiham, the home of three Vampire jet fighter squadrons. After tours at HQ Fighter Command and with the Allied Air Forces Central Europe at Fontainebleau he became the station commander in March 1955 at RAF Oldenburg in northern Germany, where his squadrons flew Hunter and Sabre fighters.
With further promotions he served at Bomber Command and in the Air Ministry. In April 1964 he completed refresher flying on the Canberra and the Vulcan before assuming his appointment as the Air Officer Commanding No 1 (Bomber) Group. Under his command he had nine Vulcan squadrons that formed part of the UK’S strategic nuclear deterrent with a proportion able to scramble at 15 minutes’ notice.
In January 1966 he piloted a Vulcan to New Zealand to participate in the opening of the new Auckland Airport. He decided to return to the UK across the Pacific and the US, thus completing a trip around the world.
Five months later Stapleton became commandant of the RAF Staff College at Bracknell. Two years later he took retirement to join the British Aircraft Corporation, subsequently British Aerospace. Initially he served as the company’s representative in Libya before moving to Iran.
When the revolution flared up in 1979 Stapleton and his team had to leave in a hurry. Their belongings were sent to a storage facility, which was later burnt to the ground. Stapleton lost many of his treasured possessions, among them his wartime flying logbooks. He then moved to Beijing for a period as the company’s representative.
Keen on sports, he was an excellent athlete and loved rugby and motor racing. The kitchen table was often covered in greasy car parts and bits of motorcycles – he would never hesitate to strip down an engine if it needed repair, and most of his various homes as he moved around the RAF would have at least one room full of car parts.
He retired to Coaxdon (near Axminster) when he was in his seventies and became a keen gardener at his riverside house. He had a unique ability to befriend “all sorts” and enjoyed the company of his neighbours and local people. He was not keen on ceremony and never used his rank locally, so many people had no idea of his distinguished past.
He was appointed CBE (1948) and CB (1960) and was a long-time president of the No 14 Squadron Association. He was co-author of the squadron history, Winged Promises (1996).
Deryck Stapleton married his South African wife Joan in 1942. She died in 2001 and he is survived by their three sons.
Air Vice-marshal Deryck Stapleton, born January 15 1918, died February 16 2018