LEST WE FORGET
Corporal Clifford Newton RYDER
Service No: 941
Born: Double Bay NSW, September 1892
Enlisted in the Army: 16 October 1916
Unit: No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps
Died: Injuries from an Aircraft Accident, Castle Bromwich Aerodrome, 10 April 1917, Aged 24 Years
Buried: St Mary and St Margaret Churchyard, Castle Bromwich, West Midlands
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alfred James and Eliza Clements Ryder, of Freshwater, Manly, Sydney, New South Wales. Born at Double Bay, Sydney, New South Wales
Place of Association: Eastwood NSW
Remembered: Panel 188, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Manly ANZAC War Memorial, Manly NSW
On 10 April 1917, Corporal Ryder, flying as a Supernumerary, was fatally injured in a flying accident at Castle Bromwich Aerodrome. Sopwith Two-Seater aircraft A1113 had been satisfactorily flown previously flown on the day and the Court of Enquiry determined that the accident was caused by pilot misjudgement. The pilot was Lieutenant John Alexander Williamson RFC who was also killed. (Summarised from Corporal Ryder’s Service Record)
A further account of Corporal Ryder’s death is recorded as follows:
The Squadron’s first flying fatality occurred on April 22nd*, and by a strange freak of fortune the unfortunate victim was a mechanic, and not a pupil or flying officer. Corporal Cliff Ryder went up as a passenger in a machine piloted by an RFC pilot. When near Rugby a heavy snow-cloud was encountered. The machine collapsed under the extra strain, and both of its occupants were hurled to the ground, with fatal results.
Extract from Richards, E.J. (Edward John) Australian Airmen: History of the 4th Squadron, publisher unknown, c1919 – Page 8
* This date is incorrect.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record B2455, RYDER CLIFFORD NEWTON
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Richards, E.J. (Edward John) Australian Airmen: History of the 4th Squadron, publisher unknown, c1919