On 1st August 1940 this 616 Squadron aircraft was damaged whilst attacking a Junkers Ju88 over the North Sea when the Ju88
returned fire hitting the Spitfire radio and damaging it's engine barer. The Spitfire pilot was able to return
to base but the aircraft suffered damage on landing at Leconfield at 13.05hrs.
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 in Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne, he joined the RAF in
1931 and did his training at Halton as an Aircraft Apprentice as a aero engine fitter. He served in Iraq in 1935 with 55 Squadron but later re-trained to
be a pilot and eventually joined 616 Squadron in September 1939. He was injured in combat in May 1940 over Dunkirk. Following this incident over the North
Sea (detailed above) he was on a similar interception operational flight on 6th August 1940 and this aircraft was slightly damaged by returning fire from
Ju88's, again he was able to return to base. Sgt Ridley was killed on 26th August 1940 when Spitfire R6633 was shot down in combat with enemy fighters 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. In all seven 616 Squadron aircraft suffered
damage on the day Ridley died, all through enemy action. Dukey Ridley was twenty four years old.
Spitfire K9829 was built to contract 527113/36 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd at Woolston. It was the
44th production Spitfire and was first test flown on 20th December 1938 and then delivered directly to 66 Squadron
at Duxford on 22nd December 1938, it transferred to 616 Squaddron at Leconfield on 15th November 1939 and on 22nd
February 1940 it moved with the unit to Catfoss before returning to Leconfield on 9th March 1940. 616 Squadron moved
south on 27th May 1940 to Rochford, to support the evacuation of Dunkirk but on 6th June 1940 they returned to
Leconfield with K9829. It sustained Cat.R/FB damage following the incident stated above and it was taken away and repaired in works
On 8th August 1940 it was transported to 1 CRU at Cowley for repair. On 15th September 1940 on completion of repairs it passed
to 24 MU at Ternhill, who, on 26th September 1940 issued it to 7 OTU at Hawarden. On 31st October 1940 it overshot on
landing at Hawarden when the pilot tried to go around again but collided with a tractor. Cat.R/FA damage was recorded after inspection
and on 9th November 1940 it was again transported to 1 CRU at Cowley for repair. On completion of the repairit was sent to
37 MU at Burtonwood on 8th February 1941 but was converted to a ground instructional airframe 3200M and issued to 3 S of TT at
Blackpool on 30th March 1941. On 6th June 1944 it transferred to 4 S of TT St.Athan only to be struck off charge on 6th September 1944.