On 6th August 1940 this 616 Squadron Spitfire was damaged by Junkers Ju88's when the pilot was intercepting them some twenty miles off Flamborough Head. He was able to fly the aircraft back to Leconfield and land without further damage. The identity of the aircraft is not yet known and it was probably so slightly damaged that the damage was not recorded on it's record card.
Pilot - Sgt Marmaduke Ridley RAF (565201), of Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Marmaduke "Dukey" Ridley (photograph found on the internet, via Mr Gerry Burke) was born in 1915, he joined the RAF in 1931 and did his training at Halton. He served in Iraq in 1935 with 55 Squadron but later trained to be a pilot and eventually joined 616 Squadron in September 1939. On 28th May 1940 and his Spitfire K9947 was damaged in combat with Bf109's of I/JG26 north west of Calais at 09.45hrs. He managed to make it back to his base at Rochford but had suffered slight head injuries. On 1st August 1940 he was on a similar interception operational flight when Spitfire K9829 was damaged by returning fire from Ju88's, he was able to return to base. Sgt Ridley was killed on 26th August 1940 when Spitfire R6633 was shot down in combat with an enemy fighter piloted by Hapt. Foezoe of 4/JG51 over the South of England. He is buried in Folkestone Cemetery. Also wounded by the same action was William L B Walker who was hit in the foot and baled out of his Spitfire. His name has been quoted in two minor mishaps which 616 Squadron were based at Leconfield (he took part in the seventieth anniversary Battle of Britain. In all seven 616 Squadron aircraft suffered damage on the day Ridley died, all through enemy action. Dukey Ridley was twenty four years old.