John Wooldridge

John Wooldridge was born in Yokohoma, Japan on July 18, 1919. Educated at St. Paul’s School, London, his first job was as secretary to a boys’ preparatory school in Norfolk. All his spare time was spent flying with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and studying music.

In April 1938 Wooldridge transferred to the regular Air Force as a Sergeant Pilot, getting past the age of admission rule by claiming that he was born in 1917. He took part in the British air raid on Kiel in September 1939, the first raid of World War II, and having brought his damaged aircraft home safely was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. Commissioned in August 1940, he rapidly rose to the rank of Flight Commander, flying Lancasters as a Flight Lieutenant. In the middle of 1942, for his part in the 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.