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Operation: Escorting Hurricanes to Bourbourge Canal near Dunkirk France
Date: 31st October 1941
Unit: No. 485 Squadron
Type: Spitfire MkVB "Southland II"
Serial: W3579
Code: OU-Q
Base: RAF Driffield
Location: Crash landed on the beach at Dunkirk France
Pilot: Wing Commander Edgar Norman Ryder 39193 RAF DFC and bar. MiD. Age 26. Pow No 658 Camp Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria
REASON FOR LOSS:
Shot down by flak.
Additional information: Edgar Norman Ryder was born at Risalpur, India on 28th November 1914 and returned to England aged ten.
He joined the Royal Fusiliers at Hounslow in 1931 and served until 1934, then becoming a mathematics master at Tredennick School, Worcester.
Ryder joined the RAF on a short service commission in August 1936. Went to 9 FTS Thornaby on 31st October joining 41 Squadron at Catterick on 30th June 1937.
Still with the squadron, Ryder took off alone on 3rd April 1940 in bad visibility and low cloud to investigate an enemy aircraft. He sighted a He111 and shot it down into the sea off Redcar, the crew got out and were picked up by a trawler. His own aircraft was losing power and he came down on the sea, his aircraft sinking immediately.
At a considerable depth he extricated himself, struggled to the surface and was picked up by the trawler Alaskan. He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 18th April 1940).
On 15th August Ryder probably destroyed a Ju88, on 5th September he destroyed two Me109's, on the 6th destroyed another, on the 7th got a probable Me109 and damaged a Do17, on the 9th destroyed another Me109, on the 10th damaged a Ju88 and on the 15th shared a Do17. Ryder was shot down by Me109's during a squadron patrol on 27th September and baled out, unhurt. His Spitfire, R6755, crashed and burned out at East Malling.
Above: F/O John Noble Mackenzie, F/O Anthony Desmond Joseph Lovell, Sq/Ldr. Donald Osborne Finlay, F/Lt. Edgar Norman Ryder, Sgt. Roy Clement Ford.
He probably destroyed a Me109 on 25th October and destroyed two more on the 30th October and 27th November.
In January 1941 Ryder was given command of 56 Squadron at North Weald. Appointed to lead the Kenley Wing in June, awarded a Bar to the DFC (gazetted 29th July 1941).
On 31st October 1941 Ryder was leading the Wing on Circus 109 in Spitfire Vb W3579 (presentation aircraft Southland II). Over Dunkirk he was shot down by flak and captured. He escaped from his prison camp and reached Poland but was recaptured in 1943.
He had two earlier escapes whilst with 41 Squadron:
03rd April 1940 flying Spitfire I N3114, ditched off Whitby - safe.
27th September 1940 flying Spitfire I R6755, baled out near Malling - safe.
Ryder received a Mention in Despatches (gazetted 28th December 1945) for distinguished service whilst a PoW.
Made a member of the Order of Orange-Nassau and a CBE (gazetted 1st January 1958). Ryder retired from the RAF on 28th October 1960 as a Group Captain. He died in 1995.
Burial details:
None - pilot survived.
Researched by Michel Beckers, October 2015. Photo of pilot courtesy Peter Shaw. Photographs of the crash site from the collection of Michel Beckers.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them. - Laurence
Binyon
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Last Modified: 11 March 2021, 17:54