The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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260634 Aldridge "Finn" Haddock Royal Air Force No. 181 Squadron from:Grimsby Aldridge Haddock was a pilot with No. 181 Squadron at RAF Duxford. His Typhoon fighter-bomber was shot down over northern France by five Me109s in July 1943, but he was able to parachute to safety. Although initially sheltered by the French Resistance, he was eventually captured and held in Stalag Luft III, the POW camp made famous in the movie The Great Escape. His obituary reads: Doctor Aldridge "Finn" Haddock, wartime fighter pilot, doctor and artist extraordi-naire, has died peacefully at his Grimsby home after a long illness. He was a general practitioner in the town for many years, but was perhaps just as well-known for his night- mare-style paintings which some attribute to his wartime experiences. Born and educated in County Durham, he started his career as a fighter pilot in the RAF, doing much of his initial training in the United. States. He was eventually posted to 181 squadron at RAF Duxford in Cambridgeshire. But in July 1943 while on an airfield destroying mission over Northern France his Typhoon fighter-bomber developed engine trouble and was shot down by a formation of five Me109s. He parachuted to safety with only seconds to spare as his plane crashed in flames just metres away. He was eventually picked up by the French Resistance and hid out in several locations for several months. He once travelled about disguised as a football player. But he was eventually captured by the Germans while hiding out in a large Chateau. Without a uniform or proper identity, he was accused of being a spy and relentlessly interrogated and tortured by the Gestapo to reveal the names of those who hid him and their escape routes. Despite threats of execution and extreme pain he steadfastly refused to give in. Dr Haddock was later sent to Stalag Luft III, the camp of Great Escape fame, from where only a few months earlier 50 of the 72 original escapers were shot. After the war he pursued his original ambition to become a doctor, training at Durham University. In 1958 he moved south to Grimsby setting up a general practice at Dudley Street where he remained until his retirement in 1992. He was also company doctor for a number of firms including SCM Chemicals and United Biscuits. A long-time friend, Sdn Ldr Tony Smith, said "He enriched the lives of many people and always had a willingness to help others. In particular he will be remembered for his generosity and his irrepressible zest for life". An accomplished artist whose paintings portrayed a distillation of his life, especially his time under torture, Dr Haddock had 32 one-man exhibitions. His works are now held in private collections throughout the world including Paris and New York. He was also a keen sportsman from his earliest days and was well-known in local golfing, squash, tennis and rugby circles. Dr Haddock leaves a wife, Patricia, daughter Jamanda, son Alexander and three grandchildren. The funeral will be held at St Giles' Church, Scartho at a date still to be announced. Kevin Smyth Add to this record.  Related Content: No. 181 Squadron Royal Air Force RAF Duxford Stalag Luft 3 Prisoner of War Camp Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

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