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oRdeRS, deCoRAtionS, CAmPAign medALS And miLitARiA
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35 A Scarce Second War 1944 ‘Parachute Jump Instructor’s’ A.F.M. Group of Six to ‘Ringway Character’, Warrant Officer W.T. Aldridge, Royal Air Force, Who With Over 150 Descents and 300 Flying Hours Was Prominent in The Training of The 6th Airborne Division for D-Day; He Flew With The 6th Airborne as a Despatcher For the Invasion of Normandy a) Air Force Medal, G.VI.R. (524775 F/Sgt. W.T. Aldridge. R.A.F.) b) 1939-1945 Star c) France and Germany Star d) Defence and War Medals e) Royal Air Force Long Service & G.C., E.II.R. (W./O. W.T. Aldridge. (524776) R.A.F.), generally good very fine, mounted as originally worn, with the following related documentation: - Congratulatory Letter to the recipient from Air Marshal Sir Roderic Hill, K.C.B., M.C., A.F.C., on the occasion of the award of the A.F.M., dated 27.9.1944 - Letter to the same effect from Major W.H. Smith, ‘D’ Company 34th (Bilston) Battalion, South Staffordshire Home Guard - With a photocopy of recipient’s R.A.F. Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book (5.7.194210.10.1949) (lot) £3,500-4,500
A.F.M. London Gazette 1.9.1944 524776 Flight Sergeant William Thomas Aldridge, Royal Air Force, Parachute Training School, Royal Air Station, Ringway (No. of descents 70) The Recommendation states: ‘Flight Sergeant Aldridge has served as an instructor with the Parachute Training School for two years and proved himself to be a first class teacher who instils great confidence into his pupils. Prior to the invasion of Normandy, this airman was attached to the 6th Airborne Division to assist in the final training of the airborne troops. He frequently accompanied them on their exercises and, during the invasion, flew as a despatcher with the airborne troops. His courage and efficiency have contributed much to the building up of confidence and morale among airborne troops.’ 524776 Warrant Officer William Thomas Aldridge, A.F.M., a native of Wolverhampton; joined the Royal Air Force for service during the Second War, and commenced training as a Parachute Jump Instructor in ‘B’ Squadron, Parachute Training Squadron, Ringway, Manchester; he made his first parachute descent, 5.7.1942; qualified as Flight Sergeant, Parachute Jump Instructor, 27.7.1942; appointed to the P.J.I. Staff at Ringway, 29.7.1942, and over the coming months made demonstration, training, container and night descents, air experience flights and despatched trainee parachutists from balloons, Whitley and Harrow aircraft at 500-800 feet; he jumped with both ‘old’ and ‘new’ parachute packs from Whitley floor and rear-gunner exits; in late 1942 he trained Belgian, Czech and Polish paratroopers at Ringway; by the end of that year he had completed 21 descents and over 36 flying hours; throughout 1943 he
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