John Arthur Aldridge

Name:

Country:

England

Rank:

Lieutenant

Service:

Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force

Unit:

Victories:

Born:

09 February 1899

Place of Birth:

Newington, London, England

Died:

November 1988

Place of Death:

Hampshire, England

The son of Arthur and Sophia Aldridge, John Arthur Aldridge joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1917. 2nd Lieutenant Aldridge received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 4846 on a Maurice Farman biplane at Ruislip on 16 June 1917. Posted to 19 Squadron in the spring of 1918, he scored five victories flying the Sopwith Dolphin.

   "Whilst searching for information on the Sopwith Dolphin on the net, I was pleased to find the reference to my father, John Arthur Aldridge, and his service with 19 Squadron RFC in WW1.
   "He was re-commissioned in the Air Training Corps in WWII, and was disappointed at not being able to wear his RFC wings. He thought the RAF version was less glamorous. He inspired many cadets and once took over the controls of a Tiger Moth when flying from FairOaks aerodrome. He thought that it was easier to fly and later considered commercial pilots to be ‘bus drivers.’
   "He was the Secretary at the Veterinary Laboratory near Woking and was awarded the MBE for his activities in the Civil Service. He died aged 90 years after a long and happy marriage."

John Aldridge, son of John Arthur Aldridge, 9 August 2006

Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificates, 1910-1950

Victories

	Date	Time	Unit	Aircraft	Opponent	Location
1	21 Apr 1918	1915	19	Sopwith Dolphin (C3833)	Pfalz D.III (OOC)	Steenwerck
2	27 May 1918	1055	19	Sopwith Dolphin (C3833)	Albatros D.V (OOC)	E of Arras
3	01 Jul 1918	1430	19	Sopwith Dolphin (C3833)	LVG C (DES) ¹	W of Steenwerck
4	02 Jul 1918	0530	19	Sopwith Dolphin (C3833)	Fokker DR.I (OOC)	Estaires
5	27 Sep 1918	0735	19	Sopwith Dolphin (C3833)	Fokker D.VII (OOC)	NW of Cambrai

1	Shared with Capt Gordon Irving, Lt James Hardman

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