My dear old friend 'Mad' Max Riddell passed away last night aged 91. Despite attempts to dissuade him, he left Hamilton Grammar School aged 14 to become an RAF apprentice under the Trenchard Scheme, describing himself in later life as one of 'Trenchards Bastards'. He avoided almost certain death at the beginning of the war by being too young (only a few months) and thus avoiding overseas service in one of his squadron's Fairey Battle light bombers; the Fairey Battle was a slow, underarmed death trap, the entire complement were shot down with no survivors. On his 18th birthday he celebrated by being posted to 51B Squadron flying in Hampden's, Halifaxes and later the ill famed AVRO Manchester with its notoriously unreliable RR Vulture engines (the Manchester, with the substitution of 2 Vultures for 4 Merlins became the famed Lancaster). In total he flew 67 operational missions, a collosal number which put him very near the top of the operational league. Eventually, after winning the DFM, he was commissioned and sent to Canada to train as a pilot. On return to the UK Bomber Command informed him that he'd 'done his bit' and would be retained in a training squadron. Max informed the WINGCO that in that event he would desert at the first opportunity and enlist in the army as a paratrooper ... and so began his career with the SOE. Flying by moonlight from RAF Tempsford he flew special agents into France and later Norway. It was while flying into Norway that he was ambushed by a ME 110 and badly wounded; realising that to ditch or bale over Norway would be certain death for the agents he flew his Hampden (big stuff for north sea crossings, lysanders for the channel only) back to the UK where, almost dead through blood loss, he successfully crash landed before passing out, for this selfless heroism he was awarded an immediate DFC. Later he was parachuted into Norway where he took the surrender of the German garrison in Trondheim.
He was great company and, to trusted friends only, would discuss his experiences in detail - what a book it would have made; flying up the elbe a zero feet, so low the German AA couldn't depress their guns sufficiently to hit him, or seeing an ME 262 for the first time (easy to avoid - apparently!) or 'persuading' the U Boat crews in Trondheim (hard cases) to surrender by the expedient of tasking a heavy cruiser to steam up the fiord and point its 11 guns at the pens and asking whether they wanted to come out with their hands up or in pieces, and so on.
A real hero, the very personification of the offensive spirit, truculent, pugnacious, brave but also generous, big hearted, kind and a true friend. One of the very last of the very best. RIP old friend.
Good Morning,
My name is Gordon Maxwell Riddell. I reside just outside Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and I am the son of Max's Brother Archie, who lives in Tasmania. I was truly touched when I "found" your post whilst searching for more information on Uncle Max. Unfortunately Dad's health is not good and I am extremely interested in obtaining more information about Uncle Max, his life and his achievements. I have not seen or spoken to him since we migrated to Australia 39 years ago, when I was 14, although my Parents did visit him when they last returned "home" to Scotland 2 years ago. I look forward to hearing from you and again I thank you for your moving tribute.
I'm sorry to hear that Cameronian, what an amazing life he led. I'd love to hear more about some of those stories if you ever want to share them.
Quote from: julzandgordy on 03 September 2012, 03:23:04 AM
Good Morning,
My name is Gordon Maxwell Riddell. I reside just outside Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and I am the son of Max's Brother Archie, who lives in Tasmania. I was truly touched when I "found" your post whilst searching for more information on Uncle Max. Unfortunately Dad's health is not good and I am extremely interested in obtaining more information about Uncle Max, his life and his achievements. I have not seen or spoken to him since we migrated to Australia 39 years ago, when I was 14, although my Parents did visit him when they last returned "home" to Scotland 2 years ago. I look forward to hearing from you and again I thank you for your moving tribute.
Welcome to the Forum Gordon, your uncle sounds like quite a guy, and I hope you're able to find out more about him.
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