Donald Stuart Oldridge

Sergeant [Pilot]

Conflict:

WW2

Additional Information:

Son of Sidney Robert and Mabel Dawse Oldridge, of Darfield, Canterbury, New Zealand.

References:

CWGC

NZ WAR GRAVES

CONTRIBUTED

Public Contributions:

Donald Stuart Oldridge - extracts from letters written by Don’s brother Bob fighting in North Africa (Sgt Robert W Oldridge 26550 H.Q. Coy 21st Btn 2nd N.Z.E.F. M.E.F.). June 28th 1942 I had anothe...r letter from Don today written only three weeks ago and he is due to go on operation flights very soon, he met a good mate of mine from Darfield who since he wrote has failed to return from one of these shows, I hope he is O.K. as he is a real decent chap. Don is having a great time and has seen a raid or two which he said did not do very much damage and he nearly fell in love with two girls, trust him. Sept 18th 1942 I received a letter from Don yesterday and he was on leave in Edinburgh and was having a great time but he did not have very much news. Sept 23rd 1942 I had a letter from Don again it is good to hear from him, said he had just come out of hospital having had an operation for a rupture and was spending a week in Edinburgh lucky young devil. I must drop him a line. Oct 6th 1942 Don sent me a photo of himself in his uniform he looks not too bad and said he was now on operational flights, I sent him a cable for his 21st Birthday which is in three days time, thank goodness he is having it in a civilized country and not here. 19th Nov 1942 I am not sure about Don yet, it is hard to get news about him here but I think it is him I hope he is alright as Mum and Dad are sure to be worrying, he was in charge of a bomber crew and must have been on one of his early opp flights, we will just have to hope for the best, I hope Bill is doing alright too Pres but I am miles away from him and stand a poor show of seeing him. 25th Dec 1942 I have had no news of Don and I hope that soon I will hear just what has happened to him, one feels as though he is millions of miles from anywhere here, and instead we are making our way so that we are only a few days sailing from England. We had great hopes of meeting up with the first army very shortly, and that will be the end of Jerry in this part of the world. Jan 24th 1943 I have had no word of Don but I have not had the chance to make enquiries about him so I just depend on news from home, I hope for Mum and Dad’s sake he is alright but I thinks it is a bit much to expect that he is now safe. March 10th 1943 I had a letter from Dad and he said through the German Red Cross Don had been picked up from the sea and was identified by the markings on his clothes. I feel sorry for Mum & Dad it must be rotten for them but at least they know he is dead and will be buried. 13 Sept 1943 Perhaps soon I will see Don’s grave, I hope it is my fortune to be able to see and get a photo of it for Mum and Dad it is still pretty hard to get used to the idea that he is dead. Read More

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Casualty

Service Number:

413988

Name:

Donald Stuart Oldridge

Rank:

Sergeant

Additional Rank:

Pilot

Date of Birth:

Not known

Date of Enlistment:

Not known

Armed Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal New Zealand Air Force

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Not known

Date of Death:

25 October 1942

Day of Death:

Sunday

Age at Death:

Conflict:

WW2

Embarkation Details

Embarkation Body:

Royal New Zealand Air Force

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Rotterdam (Crooswijk) General Cemetery

Cemetery Reference:

Plot LL. Row 2. Grave 25.

Cemetery Location:

Netherlands