DELBRIDGE, Ralph Balkwill

NAME                     DELBRIDGE           Ralph Balkwill
RANK                     Flying Officer           9490                                                                                                                                                               Group 11     RAF Fighter Command                                                                            SQUADRON          RCAF No. 401 “Ram”
                               “very swift death for the enemy”
                               Redhill Airfield in Surrey
                               Squadron Markings YO                                                                                                          Born                       December 22, 1920 - Exeter - Township of Stephen / Usborne - County of Huron                      Residence              London - Ontario                                                                                                                          Died                        August 3, 1943           22 years   7 months
Cemetery               Brookwood Military Cemetery - Brookwood - Surrey -  England
                               45 C 5
Parents                  Mr. Franklin and Eva Delbridge - Exeter                                                                              Sister                     Mrs. Luella Sweeton - Ottawa 

Ralph was born on December 22, 1920 in Exeter. The family was United and would have attended Exeter United Church. He went to Exeter Public School 1927-34, Exeter High School 1934-38, and Westerve;t School 1938-39.
He enjoyed skiing, track,  basketball, swimming, diving, skating, hockey along with riding as he was growing up. His hobby was model aircraft building. Before he enlisted he was employed as an accountant with Johnson-Turner Electric Engineering in London.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Canada                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            On March 14, 1941 Ralph enlisted into the Royal Canadian Air Force. He received the rank of Aircraftsman 2. He stood 5' 8" tall and weighed 137 pounds. He had a fair complexion with brown eyes and medium brown hair. He was posted to the London Recruitment Centre until April 21 at which time he was posted to Toronto at No. 1 Manning Depot. On May 5 he waqs assigned to No. 6 Service Flying Training School in Dunville - Ontario. Between June 22-July 26 he was posted to No. Initial Training School in Toronto - Ontario and while here he was 44 in a class of 79 and received an average of 82%. Then he was posted on  July 27 to New Brunswick to No. 21 Elementary Flying Training School in Chatham and while here he was 8 in a class of 32 and had an average of 82%. Before leaving here he received the rank of Leading Aircraftsman. His next posting took him to No. 9 Service Flying Training School in Summerside - Prince Edward Island. He was 14 in a class of 50 and his average was 79%. Just prior to his next posting he received the rank of Sergeant. He was also promoted to the rank of Pilot Officer. On December 21 he was sent to "Y" Depot in Halifax in preparation for going overseas.      On January 6, 1942 he volunteered for the RAF Training Pool and embarked from Halifax and Pilot Officer Delbridge disembarked in the United Kingdom on January 23 and the following day reported to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre in Bournemouth and he was here until his first posting overseas on March 8 to No. 3 Personnel Dispatch Centre. On March 16 he was posted to No. 3 Embarkation Unit and on March 23 he was assigned to Headquarters in Middle East Command in Alexandria - Egypt and from there he went to No. 21 Personnel Transit Centre. Then on July 2 he went to PAP. On September 17 he went from No. 1 Middle East Fighter Command to No. 22 Personnel Transit Centre. He received the rank of Pilot Officer while here. On October 23 he moved from No. 22 Personnel Transit Centre to No. 21 Personnel Transit Centre. On October 14 he was assigned to the Home Establishment . On December 15 he disembarked in the United Kingdom. His next posting on December 22 was to RAF No. 5 Pilot Advanced Flying Unit based at RAF Ternhill - Shropshire.  His travelling from the United Kingdom to Egypt was by way of South Africa and the same on the return to the United Kingdom.              On March 2, 1943 he was posted to RAF Eshott based in Northumberland. Between April 12-24 he was assigned to No. 81 Group to No. 57 Operational Training Unit based at RAF Hawarden - Flintshire. Then on May 8 he was posted to 401 squadron based at RAF Redhill - Surrey. During the last week of 23-31 he was on temporary duty at RAF Martlesham - Suffolk.
Flying Officer Delbridge lost his life in when his Spitfire BL 339 dove into the ground at Underhill
Farm, Bucklands in Surrey, approximately 20 miles from the base. He apparently misjudged the distance
between himself and the ground. The crash took place at 11:35 hours. Witnesses observed him flying in the valley performing turns and diving maneuvres. The aircraft was at the height of 50 feet when it dove into the ground. Debris was strewn out 75-100 feet from the point of impact.

During the month of July 1945 the mother of Flying Officer Delbridge received the Memorial Cross. Then at a later date his parents received the 1939-45 Star, the Aircrew Europe Star, the Defence and War Medal plus the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.

Ralph is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaques of Exeter High School and Exeter United Church. He is also honoured and remembered on the Exeter Cenotaph, in the Books of Remembrance which are located in the Centre Block of the Parliament Building in Ottawa as well on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.