One of the few

By Hilary Challis

With grateful thanks to Wing Cdr Kellett’s family for access to original source material.

“Never, in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few.”

DEDICATED WEEKEND PILOT

Born in County Durham, Ronald was a stockbroker and (later) a member of the London Stock Exchange.  In 1933 he became a weekend volunteer pilot at Hendon with No. 600 (City of London) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF).  In Spring 1939 Ronald transferred to No. 616 as a Flight Commander.

RAF 303 SQUADRON

Ronald was called up to the RAF in August 1939, as World War Two was about to imminently break out and posted as a Flight Commander in May 1940 to 249 Squadron.  In the intervening months he married Daphne Jane Sheaf (1913-1994) a trained Photographer and surgeon’s daughter from Guildford.  At the time of their marriage, the Sheaf family’s neighbour was well-known, Punch and “Winnie the Pooh”, Artist and Illustrator, Ernest H. Shephard.  

No. 303 (“Kościuszko”) Polish Fighter Squadron

(Polish: 303 Dywizjon Myśliwski “Warszawski im. Tadeusza Kościuszki”)

The squadron was named after the Polish and American Revolution hero General Tadeusz Kościuszko, and the eponymous Polish 7th Air Escadrille founded by Merian C. Cooper, that served Poland in the 1919-1921 Polish-Soviet War.  Its initial cadre was 13 Officer and 8 NCO pilots and 135 Polish ground staff.  Group Captain (later, Sir) Douglas Bader described them as, “rugged tough and dedicated fighters” and he went onto describe Ronald as, “small of stature with a round cherubic face and flaxen hair, his looks belied him.  He had the heart of a lion and was as rugged and relentless as any of those he led”.  Few of the Poles spoke English but Ronald spoke fluent French as did many of the Polish pilots, which helped with communication issues. 

CHEQUES and CHURCHILL

No arrangements were in place to pay the pilots.  So, as Squadron Leader, Ronald stood as guarantor for the Paymaster General to pay his pilots – a situation as if he were serving in the Crimean War.  The problem was resolved at the second time of mentioning it to Churchill.  “They must be paid” Churchill said, and they were.

The squadron became operational on 31st August 1940.  It was one of two Polish squadrons that fought during the Battle of Britain, along with No. 302 Squadron (which was mainly stationed at Leconfield), from a total 16 Polish squadrons during World War Two.

The squadron flew Hawker Hurricanes.  Less well known than the Spitfire’s role in the Battle of Britain, the Hurricane inflicted 60 per cent of the losses sustained by the German Luftwaffe in the campaign and fought in all the major theatres of the Second World War.

NARROW SQUEAKS

Ronald had several narrow “squeaks”.  Early morning on 6^th September 1940, he led 303 Squadron into combat and reported in his combat report: “This was the biggest formation I have seen.  It covered an area 20 miles x 5.  There were many big planes, Dorniers, [Heinkel] He III… There were the usual [Messerschmitt] Me 110s among them and formations of Me109s up to 25,000 feet – fully 300-400 enemy aircraft.  

I manoeuvred to do a quarter head-on attack on the bombers.  I put a long burst into the port engine of a Dornier 215 and saw it commence to smoke.  Then I did a quarter astern attack and the engine caught fire.  Just as I was about to break away, a series of explosions took place in my aircraft.  After diving, I realised that it was very difficult to control the aircraft as there was a big hole in the starboard wing and the aircraft was very right-wing low.  There was no elevator control and not much rudder control.  I managed to get the aircraft down to 140 mph and kept it under control with the stick hard back and over to port.  Finding Biggin Hill close, I made a landing with the undercarriage down but without flaps.  I returned to Northolt in the evening”. 

However, Biggin Hill’s ground crew had to axe off the canopy to rescue Ronald from the crippled aircraft and then bundle him into a dugout as bombs were still exploding on the airfield and on the runway.  It was a lucky escape.  That day 303 squadron lost five aircraft.  It was subsequently found that Ronald had shot down an Me Bf-110D-O [a version of a prototype fighter bomber] from the elite [“Testing Group”] Erprobungsgruppe 210.

ROYAL GOOD LUCK

Another time King George VI was inspecting 303 when it was scrambled to counter a bombing attack. Fifty-nine He 111 bombers of the Luftwaffe’s Bomber ‘Battle Wing’ Kampfgeschwader 55 (KG55) had been briefed to attack the Supermarine factory at Woolston, Southampton, then a main centre for Spitfire production.  They had just completed a precision bombing run, causing heavy loss of life in and around the factory as well as considerable damage when 303 and 229 Squadrons arrived.  

Among the Fighter Command squadrons deployed in the Southampton-Portsmouth area that afternoon, 303’s Polish pilots destroyed 13* [see end note] enemy aircraft with no losses, attributing their good luck to the royal visit.  See the PHOTO of King George VI inspecting 303 on this day.

AIR ACE DFC and DSO

303 squadron had become the RAF’s most efficient fighter unit.  By 31^st October 1940, the last day of the Battle of Britain, the squadron was credited with 126 enemy aircraft destroyed and Ronald had personally accounted for five, three within the space of two days.  Enough to rate him as a British “Air Ace”.  Ronald was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).

“By his excellent example and personality this officer had been largely responsible for the success of his squadron which in one week destroyed 33 enemy aircraft, of which Squadron Leader Kellett had destroyed three.  His leadership and determination in attacking superior numbers of enemy aircraft have instilled the greatest confidence in other pilots of his squadron.”

Within weeks, Ronald was appointed as a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). 

“[he] built up and trained his personnel to such a fine fighting pitch that no fewer than 113 enemy aircraft have been destroyed in the space of one month, with very few casualties sustained by his squadron. He has frequently led the wing formation with judgement and success.  The gallantry and fine leadership displayed by Squadron Leader Kellett have proved an inspiring example.”

GENERAL SIKORSKI

On leaving 303 Ronald wrote [303 Squadron Chronicles], “We fought together through the great offensive of 1940 and I then knew that the pilots of No. 303 Squadron were not only the best but would also see me through any troubles. In the month of September, 303 Squadron was on top – no squadron from the Empire could equal the courage and skill of our pilots, no bombing could daunt our airmen.”

In January 1941 after the Battle of Britain after completing his service with the Polish squadron, Ronald was personally decorated by General Sikorski, Polish Prime Minister in Exile and Commander of the Polish Forces, with the VIRTUTI MILITARI Silver Cross medal of the Knights of the Military Order, in recognition for acts of outstanding bravery and risk of life on the field of battle. It is Poland’s highest military decoration and the oldest military award still in existence in the world.  Receiving this was one of Ronald’s proudest moments during the war. At some point in WW2 Ronald was also “Mentioned in Despatches” (MiD).

STOCKBROKER

Ronald was now appointed as a fighter-trainer officer at the Air Ministry.  From late 1942 he instructed at the Turkish Staff college.  Following post-WW2 demob, Ronald returned to civilian life as a stockbroker while commanding, between 1946 and 1949, No. 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron (RAuxAF).  Ronald was later also awarded the Air Efficiency (AE) Award and Bar.  Initially awarded for ten years meritorious service in the Auxiliary and Volunteer Air Forces, the Bar denoted his further ten years of service.

FROM THE HORRORS OF WAR TO COUNTRYSIDE PEACE

Post-World War Two, Ronald and Daphne maintained a milking herd of Shorthorn and Friesian cattle, along with pigs and egg-laying chicken at their Kent farm.  They also kept horses and ponies for the family to ride on.  Later Ronald laid out a light aircraft landing strip to fly from. He was knowledgeable about wine and, until it was destroyed in the storms of 1987, had a vineyard. Ronald stocked his personal wine cellar calculating it would see him out to the last bottle.

Ronald and Daphne had five children.  Daphne passed away four years before Ronald.  They lie at rest together in St. George’s parish churchyard.

POSTSCRIPT

In 2017, the Kellett children donated Ronald’s medals to the Battle of Britain Bunker museum in Uxbridge. In 1940 the bunker had housed the secret HQ of the RAF’s bold aerial campaign.  In 2018, portrayed by actor Sam Hoare, Ronald was immortalised in the film “Hurricane: 303 Squadron” [“Mission of Honor” in the USA] released around the same time as the Polish-produced film “303 Squadron”.

DISCLAIMER: some facts accepted at the time, [for example * the tally of 13, above], have since been questioned by Richard King’s research.  

READ: 303 ‘Polish’ Squadron Battle of Britain, by Richard King, Red Kite, available from Amazon and other book sellers. [ISBN 10:1906592039 ISBN 13:9781906592035] 

SEE: https://www.key.aero/article/battle-britain-legend-303-polish-squadron