The Diocese of London Archives Presents:

Fr. Michael Joseph Dalton, MBE

A Virtual Biographical Tour 

mpty headingEmpty hea Fr. Mike Dalton was a noted Second World War chaplain, from the Diocese of London, who served with the Essex Scottish Regiment.

Please scroll down to read excerpts from his WWII diary.

(A scan of his full diary is at this link)

Known for ministering to soldiers on the front-line, Fr. Dalton was the first Roman Catholic priest to be named a Member of the British Empire.

In 1967, he was named Veteran of the Year and Citizen of the Year by the city of Windsor, Ontario. London’s “Father Dalton Drive” was named in his memory. When he died in 2009, he was Canada’s oldest Roman Catholic priest, at the age of 106, and was the oldest living veteran from the Second World War.


Born in Goderich, Ontario, Fr. Dalton (May 5, 1902 – April 6, 2009)  studied at Assumption College, in Windsor.  Upon graduating, he went to St. Peter’s Seminary, in London, to study philosophy and theology.  

Fr. Dalton celebrating Mass on the hood of a jeep
on June 5, 1944 – one day before D-Day.
    

Fr. Dalton served at Holy Name of Mary Church, in Windsor, from 1932 to 1936.

Fr. Dalton served at St. Alphonsus Church, in Windsor, from 1936 to 1939.

 

Fr. Dalton’s war-time diary selected quotes (quotes in red and italics).

This diary is a typed transcription of his hand-written war diary, with subsequent clippings and documents added.

He notes that he wrote to Bishop J.T. Kidd for permission to enlist.  
Commissioned as Captain of spiritual.  Called up Dad to notify of my new field of labour.  My first funeral Mass, after ordination, was mother 1932.  My first funeral in uniform was Father.  R.I.P. 

Sunday, March 1, 1942

Stationed in East Sussex, England, where he said two Masses, one in the vestry of the local Anglican church and one at the Roman Catholic Church of St. Thomas of Canterbury and English Martyrs, St. Leonard’s-on-Sea.  Also, offered Benediction.  Between the three liturgies, he ministered to members of the Essex Scottish Regiment, the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, and the Royal Canadian Air Force:

"Mass in vestry of Anglican church for Essex Scottish.  Sweet strains of pipe organ at Protestant service assists our devotions.  

Second Mass at St. Thomas’ Church, St. Leonard’s, for rally of all Catholics RHLI.  Two priests hear confessions during Mass.  Semon on Prodigal son bears fruit.  RCAF also attend.  Tea and cake served by ladies.  Dinner in men’s kitchen.  RHLI after giving smokes to Transport Section.  Benediction at ‘Chapel of Ease.’  March comes in like a lamb – weather mild – no bombs; no runs, no hits, no errors.  

Canadian mail and parcels arrive today."

Friday, March 6, 1942

“Young blokes get lonesome.”  

Monday, March 9, 1942

Spoke about distributing Lucky Strikes cigarettes – an American brand, which he describes as “rare.”  

"These cigarettes came from friends in Windsor and elsewhere."

Monday, March 23, 1942  

“Versailles” is a reference to the Treaty of Versailles, which ended the First World War.

6:30 Mass for Essex Scottish.  Attended lecture in White Rock Pavillion by Ian Hannah, MP, MA of Cambridge University.  Extensive lectures.  Subject: “Lines of a Lasting Peace.”  He saw injustice in Versailles and recognizes culture of Germans.  Revenge must be ruled out by Spirit of Christ."

Sunday, April 12, 1942

"In Dublin, Ireland.  Said Mass in the “Pro-Cathedral,” which is the Roman Catholic cathedral (St. Mary’s) in Dublin; also, visited St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the national Church of Ireland cathedral, and Guinness Brewery.

Mass on main altar at Pro-Cathedral.  Gave Communion to hundreds.  Palestrina Choir renders music for Solemn High [Mass] at 12.  Vincent O’Brien directs.  He once taught John McCormack.

St. Pat’s Cathedral (Protestant) has [a] huge window donated by Guinness Brewery stout with inscription from St. Matthew XXVI – is there.

I visited Guinness Brewery – largest in world, due to quality of water in River Liffey."

Tuesday, May 19, 1942 

"Training on Isle of Wight.  Met with navy personnel – was impressed by daring amphibious raids across Channel.  
Isle of Wight – more beautiful than Eire, if possible ...  Navy bokes working with us on barges which may someday barge into Europe, have interesting stories of raids on Norway, France, etc.  We often talk to RAF who bombed Germany.  These navy raids are more daring."

Sunday, May 24, 1942

“First Mass” = first Mass of the day.  “Jerry” = Germans
“Benediction and beads” = Sunday Vespers & Benediction, either preceded or followed by the rosary.

"1st Mass, RHLI [Royal Hamilton Light Infantry], formerly J.B. Priestly’s estate.  HQ RHLI [is] in Lord Byron’s old home.  Military usually billet in castles of big shots, since they are so spacious.

2nd Mass – Essex Scottish – in dance hall Savoy Camp, 11 o’clock to R. Reg. C at Totland Church.
Sunday evening: officiated at Benediction and beads in parish church.

Midnight: Jerry puts on a blitz outside our bedroom.  Planes fly over tree tops, machine gunning and dropping bombs.  I saw flashes of A.A. through window, but didn’t end up as many did.  Blitzes are so common you can’t see them all.  (No runs, several hits, no hurts, plenty of moves.)"

Friday, June 5, 1942

"All lads out of cigarettes till I appear with 4,000 from CWL Kinkora [Ontario]."

Sunday, June 7, 1942

"3 Masses. Corpus Christi procession in eve at Totland church."

Thursday, July 2, 1942

Lead-up to Dieppe

"8,000 troops, tanks, etc., embark for raid on France.  I camouflaged my “collapsible cathedral” to allay suspicion among men, as I brought it aboard.  Secret was revealed by colonel when embarked, so all could study maps for daylight raid.  We were prepared for strong opposition, even Panzer troops might rush from Paris.  Paratroops and 12 squadrons of RAF would help.  Mother ships would let down small craft about middle of channel.

Confessions all afternoon, the greatest number since I joined the army."

Thursday, August 20, 1942

"Small groups come home with tragic story of fierce opposition but gallant action.  Major Chas. Turnbull makes me Colonel for afternoon.  His brother Russ is missing.  Out of 550 Essex Scottish, only 44 accounted for ... Morning – Requiem Mass for fallen and wounded.  RIP."

Friday, August 21, 1942

"Row upon row, ward upon ward of battle casualties."

Sunday, August 23, 1942  

"I preached shortest sermon.  It was one short story as follows.  It was hard to face lads, so many empty seats, so many old reliables missing, but I asked cooperation from remnant to build up new spirit, to close in the ranks and carry on and to pray for the fallen.  When we enlisted, we bargained for the hardships of war, but didn't realize we would miss our pals so much, after almost 3 years of friendship."  

September 12, 1942

RHLI = Royal Hamilton Light Infantry

"Tony Horlick, RHLI plunges into Aron River to bring girl 100 yards back saving her life.  He received a parliament mention and a parchment in England.  Also mentioned in Brigade Orders."

Tuesday, September 22 – Saturday, September 26, 1942

"Attended lectures at Oxford University on International Relations, etc.  We lived and dined with students and professors at Jesus College, which Lawrence of Arabia attended.  Class comprised Canadian soldiers and sailors, Czechs, Poles, South Africans, etc.

Social evenings at Rhodes House – Trinity House – Cardinal Manning’s picture in robes of R.C. Church.  Cardinal Newman attended Trinity House and lectured at and lectured at University College.  Visited St. Marty the Virgin Church, in which he was rector, as Anglican, 16 years."

Sunday, October 19, 1942

"Attended Pontifical High Mass by Bishop Peter Amigo of Southwark in Duke of Norfolk’s chapel."

Friday, October 23, 1942

"06.30 hrs Mass in Anglican chapel of school housing 18th Field Ambulance at Bognor Regis.  All French from Montreal.  ‘Tis well I know some French or they would give me charcoal when I strolled in kitchen for cup of coffee after Mass.  13 went to Communion.  6 o’clock -- Canadian mail, first in weeks.  18 letters for me to answer."

Monday, October 26, 1942

“Dog-fight” = fight between British and German fighter planes

"11:00 Dog-fights overhead.  Smoke from Spitfires obscures planes.  Bombs fall in Brigade area.  Pouring rain obscures vision.  Some go to shelters.  Some come out in down-pour to see the view [of the dog-fight].    3 o’clock - British plane crashes opposite our billet 200 yards from shore.  In a few minutes, all is submerged, except pilots.  Cpl. Valiquette swims out to help crew.  Water isn’t very warm."

Sunday, November 1, 1942

"All Saint’s Day – said three Masses

Read Cardinal Mercier’s comprehension of a soldier’s reward for valiant service.  Although not a martyr, because he is not unarmed, yet salvation is secure if he has right intentions in righteous cause – and our cause is just.  Therefore, alleluia."

Thursday, December 24, 1942

"Confessions in all units from noon till midnight.  Officer’s party and lunch.
Midnight Mass – Christmas Eve.  [lists names of officers] and other non-Catholic officers attended and helped singing.  Two more Masses next day for the other units."

Friday, December 25, 1942

"Saw most men at their turkey banquet.  All okay.  No bombs heard.  Mail and parcels galore.  I got 20 Christmas boxes and 20,000 cigarettes.  I looked up the lads who didn’t get any box.  Their faces were wreathed with smiles and their hearts with mirth made lighter."

Friday, July 23, 1943

"To dentist – nuff sed."  

Wednesday, July 28, 1943

"SPORT’S DAY ... We officers beat sergeants [at softball] by [a] terrific wallop."  

Saturday, January 1, 1944

"New Year’s Day – this is the year –- God bless 1944.

I had 3 Masses as usual, all in improvised altars in camps so had a good appetite for turkey at noon.  Lads had sobered up (almost) from the Eve’s jollifications.

As we commence our fifth chill winter in England, we are cheered by the fact that this is the year.  The lads are anxious to get it over and get back."

Wednesday March 1, 1944

"Met Field-Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery: Carry on, Monty – and we’ll back you up!"

Thursday, March 9, 1944

"Met King George VI again, while the King was inspecting the 2nd Division. They had a brief conversation.
It was bitter cold.  We marched 10 miles ‘round trip and stood 2 and ½ hours without gloves, without overcoats, but not without our King."

Tuesday June 6, 1944

"We are not only living in the presence of History, we are makers of History."

Friday, July 7, 1944

Fr. Dalton landed in Normandy (with Essex Scottish).  

Sunday July 9, 1944

"After Mass, we sang “God Save the King” and “O, Canada” in liberated France – a thrill."

Tuesday, July 11, 1944

Moves up to front line – encounters combat and enemy fire.

Thursday, July 13, 1944

"Terrific blasts of mortar fire fell like hail.

I was too busy to be alarmed, as next minute I ran out to help a dying British gunner to recite [the] “Jesus mercy” [prayer]."

Friday, July 14, 1944

"Bombs, mortars, shells, machine guns – all plaster us in our dugouts."

Tuesday, July 25, 1944

"A wicked night.  While saying Vespers at Midnight, bombing commenced.  I was in my truck – it was pierced.  Only a few minor casualties, but many trucks burned close by.  I returned to the sick bay .... burying many Germans ... [At Mass] I turned to give a blessing and not one soldier was in sight – they all ducked to the trenches."

Tuesday, August 15, 1944

"[Soldiers] taking their Good Friday of suffering with a noble spirit.  Out of this crucifixion of France will come its Resurrection."

Thursday, August 17, 1944

"Too busy making history to scribble about it for the rest of the month."

Saturday, September 2, 1944

Said Mass at Dieppe, site of 1942 raid.

"I said Mass at the Canadian cemetery, where 854 Allied [soldiers] lie buried since August 19, 1942.  All regiments of the Brigade attended and received Communion as they stood on the graves of their fallen comrades.  530 Essex Scottish, including 28 officers, attacked Dieppe.  44 return – no officers returned – August 1942.

To the Beaches, to meditate on the sublime thought immortalized by Fr. Hill [in his poem shown below]:

'The battlefield is often holy ground to the chaplain,
For he is treading on soil soaked by the blood of man,
Who have kept now their oath of obedience, even unto death.
It is this solemn thought which dispels the horror of scenes of concentrated slaughter.
The imagination lifts this carnage up unto the Altar of Sacrifice
and a battlefield is seen in the light of Calvary.'" 

Wednesday, September 13 – Friday, September 15, 1944

Met with “curé and people” in Flanders, France (not far from Dunkirk).  “curé” = priest

Saturday, September 16, 1944

In Antwerp, Belgium:  
"Most charming city, stately buildings and hospitable people.  All, even children, say “good morning” and shower cars with fruit, flowers, etc."

Friday, September 22, 1944

"Visited two hospitals in Brussels containing Canadian soldiers."

Saturday, September 23, 1944

Fr. Dalton’s sense of humour:
"First swim in Europe, in indoor pool.  Smaller than Lake Huron – a little."

Wednesday October 4, 1944

"Said Mass on St. Francis’ Feast Day [St. Francis of Assisi] at Franciscan Monastery.  Lads are too busy fighting to go to Mass.  My spare time is spent visiting them in hospitals."

Thursday, October 5, 1944

"Attended a recital by Solomon Cutner, a famous British pianist, at Mechelen (Malines), Belgium."

Thursday, October 12, 1944

In Kapellen, Belgium:

"I sang my first high Mass in liberated Europe in the parish church.  [The organist there had] held down the job for 52 years in the same church.  He is also the sacristan and school teacher.  It’s refreshing to sing a Mass with much splendour on a beautiful altar, after so many hurried Masses in [the] dismal monotony of devastated scenes of horror.

Belgian people like to hear me sing ‘oremus pro rege nostro Leopoldo’ [let us pray for Leopold, our King].  King Leopold is their ideal leader, now in a German prison.

Funerals here have enough pomp and dash to bury a king – most of them horse-drawn (not ours)."

Saturday, October 21, 1944

"“A chance meeting.”  Meets an “old nun” who “didn’t speak French” – and he “didn’t speak Flemish,” so they communicate by having someone else translate.  She was asking about her brother, Fr. Laislaus, the priest at the Catholic parish (St. Anne’s) in Erieau.  Fr. Dalton was able to put them back in touch, for the first time in five years."

Sunday, February 18, 1945

By this time, Fr. Dalton and the Essex Scottish are now in Germany.

"The organist plays “O, Canada, we stand on guard for thee.”  Is that O.K?  Is it a hymn?  Can it be played in Church?  We dunno.  If it isn’t a hymn or wasn’t, haven’t Canadians transcribed the Music with their noble blood?  If Canada freed Europe, or at least their corner of it, for Liberty and Justice for the French, Belgians, and Hollanders – and perhaps for Germans and Canada and mankind – don't we stand on guard for “Thee.” with a capital T?"

Sunday, March 17, 1946

"Landed at Halifax, Nova Scotia.  I would have kissed the ground of Canada, if people weren’t looking."

End of Military Service and Return to Parish Ministry

Fr. Dalton with entrance class students at Most Precious Blood School in Windsor, 1948.

Following his service in the Army, Fr. Dalton was named Pastor of the

Most Precious Blood Church, Windsor, in 1947, where he served until 1953.

From 1953 to 1959, Fr. Dalton served at St. John’s Church in Woodslee, Ontario.

 

From 1959 until his retirement, from full-time ministry, in 1970, Fr. Dalton served as Pastor of St. John de Brebeuf Church, in Kingsville

 

Fr. Dalton served as a long-time chaplain for Branch 188, in Kingsville, of the Royal Canadian Legion

 

Attending an event with the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment.

Rest in Peace

May 5, 1902 – April 6, 2009