F/O Ricalton was serving with 74 Squadron. He was flying Spitfire II P 7360 on patrol and was shot down by a Messerschmidt109 over Maidstone.
Royal Air Force Fighter Command Losses of the Second World War: Vol.1 Operational Losses, Aircraft and Crews 1939-1941; Norman L.R. Franks; 1997; Midland Publishing; ISBN 1 85780 055 9
A Gathering of Eagles, Robert Dixon, PublishAmerica, 2004 ISBN 1 4137 3498 7 contains an account of the service of Flying Officer Alan Leslie Ricalton in pages 237-241 >
Men of the North: A Few of the Few Robert Dixon
Journal 21/11/2012 reports rededication and more information about F.O. Alan Ricalton.
Simon Glancey tells us:
His death was reported in the Newcastle Weekly Chronicle Saturday 26/10/1940, page 6:
Tyneside Airman Killed
Many Tynesiders will learn with regret that Flying Officer Leslie Alan [sic] Ricalton (25), son of Mr. W Ricalton, Secretary of the Colliery Enginemen’s and Firemen’s Association, of Salters Road, Gosforth, has been killed in a flying accident.
Flying Officer Ricalton secured a commission in the R.A.F. in March, 1938. He passed through the flying schools as a bomber pilot, and survived the hectic air fighting and bombing during the blitzkrieg in France.
After Dunkirk he was transferred to a fighter squadron.
RAF Aircrew in the Battle of Britain gives his rank as Pilot Officer, as does the Museum.
Yvan Wüthrich has contacted us to say:
"A friend of mine visited the Omega museum in Bienne (Biel) in Switzerland, a few days ago. As he knows I’m interested in WW2 warplanes and history, he showed me a picture of an identity card, hand written letter and metal miniature Spitfire, as well as an Omega wristwatch, that belonged, or supposedly belonged, to Pilot Officer Alan L. Ricalton.
The museum didn’t update the audio description yet, so we do not know much more about these objects.
So, I googled to know more and found your email address.
I thought you might be interested by this information."
The photos of the museum exhibits were sent to us by Olivier Studer and are shown via the hyperlink below, and we acknowledge both his and Yvan Wüthrich's contributions with thanks.
Alan Leslie Ricalton is remembered at Gosforth on G9.17
R.A.F. Aircrew in the Battle of Britain
The CWGC entry for Flying Officer Ricalton