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Capt. John Aidan Liddell
British Army 7 Sqd. Royal Flying Corps
from:Basingstoke
(d.31st Aug 1915)
Capt. John Liddell died 31st August 1915, aged 27 and was buried in Basingstoke South View or Old Cemetery. He served with 3rd Bn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders before transferring to 7 Squadron RFC. He was the son of John and Emily C. Liddell, of Sherfield Manor, Basingstoke.
An extract from The London Gazette, dated, 23rd Aug., 1915, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on 31st July, 1915. When on a flying reconnaissance over Ostend-Bruges-Ghent he was severely wounded (his right thigh being broken), which caused momentary unconsciousness, but by a great effort he recovered partial control after his machine had dropped nearly 3,000 feet, and notwithstanding his collapsed state succeeded, although continually fired at, in completing his course, and brought the aeroplane into our lines - half an hour after he had been wounded. The difficulties experienced by this officer in saving his machine, and the life of his observer, cannot be readily expressed, but as the control wheel and the throttle control were smashed, and also one of the under-carriage struts, it would seem incredible that he could have accomplished his task."
