Cyril Ridley

Flight Lieutenant Cyril Burfield Ridley, DSC (1895–1920) was a British World War I flying ace. He served with the Royal Naval Air Service in 1917/1918, flying Sopwith Triplanes and Sopwith Camels.

Early life

Cyril Burfield Ridley was born in Esher, Surrey on 15 January 1895, the son of Douglas and Victoria Ridley. He attended Arundel House School in Surbiton, where he became a keen member of the school's Aero Club. In addition to building model aeroplanes, in 1910 when aged 15 he designed and built a man-carrying Chanute-type biplane glider, with a wingspan of 18 feet.[1]

First World War

Captain Ridley served on the Western Front with No. 1 Squadron, RNAS, initially flying the Sopwith Triplane. On 29 April 1917 he gained the first of 11 victories, with a share in the downing of an Albatros D.III. After he had scored three further victories the squadron re-equipped with the Sopwith Camel in December 1917. With the formation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918 Captain Ridley became a Flight Lieutenant with No. 201 Squadron, and later that month he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Ridley's 11th and last victory occurred on 4 July 1918, with the shooting down of a Fokker D.VII near Foucaucourt.[2] On 10 July his aircraft suffered engine failure over enemy lines, he glided down and became a Prisoner of War.

Death

After the war Cyril Ridley resumed flying with the RAF, serving with No. 12 Squadron in the occupied Rhineland. During a flight at Lindenthal, near Cologne on 17 May 1920 his aircraft collided with that flown by Flying Officer J D De Pencier. Both aircraft crashed from 450 feet and Ridley and De Pencier were both killed. Ridley was buried at Cologne Southern Cemetery.

References

  1. ↑ Lewis, P M H. British Aircraft, 1809-1914, Putnam, 1962
  2. ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/ridley.php