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RAF 1930 pattern Sidcot flying suit liner - Battle of Britain history

SOLD

Code: S27166

Suits, Flying, 1930 pattern, wool, inner. Stores reference 22c/53. Size 6 (Ht 5'11"-6'1", Br. 40/42", Wt. 36/38", St. 41/43", Leg 31.5"). One-piece fur-fleece fabric liner that buttoned inside the 1930 pattern 'Sidcot' suit for extra warmth. Often referred to as the 'Teddy Bear' suit. Minor loss of stitches on some seams, otherwise in very good used condition. Double labelled with A.M. King's crown marks, A.I.D stamps and 1936 contract date. Now a rare find. This example belonged to Flight Lieutenant Christopher John 'Jack' Henry Riddle (90143) who flew in the Battle of Britain with 601 Squadron (Hurricanes). He was born in Buckinghamshire on April 4th 1914, educated at Harrow school and joined 601 Squadron (Auxiliary Air Force) as a Pilot Officer in early 1938. Called to full-time service at the outbreak of war the following year, he was promoted to Flying Officer and credited with a 'probable' Messerschmitt Bf110 over Dunkirk in May 1940 and a shared Me110 on 11th July. He is further credited with a shared Dornier Do17 on September 4th 1940. By October he had been promoted to Flight Lieutenant. He left 601 for HQ 10 Group Sector Command in 1941 and was promoted to Squadron Leader. Later in the war he served at Far East HQ Command in South East Asia. He was demobbed in 1946 and died on 8th August 2009. The suit is named to Riddle on both labels. Stock code S27166.