The Airmen's Stories - P/O E S Aldous

Eric Stanley Aldous, from Sanderstead, Surrey was born on 1st January 1918 and attended Dulwich College from 1931 to 1935. He then worked for Charrington's, the coal merchants.

Aldous joined the RAFVR in September 1938 and was called up on 1st September 1939. He completed his training at 9 FTS Hullavington and joined 610 Squadron at Biggin Hill on 27th July 1940.

In combat off Dover on 24th August Aldous' Spitfire, R6641, was damaged but he returned safely to base. On the 30th he shot down a He111.

Aldous was posted to 41 Squadron at on 12th September and on the 18th he damaged a Me109. On the 28th, in action over Charing, he crash-landed at Pluckley in Spitfire X4345, wounded. After recovery, he was posted away on 7th December to 55 OTU to be an instructor.

On 7th August 1941 Aldous joined 615 Squadron at Prestwick. Flying from Manston on 16th October, he was shot down and killed during an attack on storage tanks at Flushing in Hurricane IIB Z3028. At the time of his death, Aldous was an Acting Flight Lieutenant.

He is buried in Vlissingen Northern Cemetery, Flushing, Netherlands.

(Photograph courtesy of St. Jozef School, Vlissingen)