Eric Riedel
Royal Air Force
I have very limited information on this man, who I've found out, not so long ago, to be my grandfather. He had an affair with my then married grandmother that resulted in the conception of my father. It was a big family secret that my grandmother revealed on her deathbed. All we have is the little information she was willing to give us, and this photograph. According to her, his name was Eric Riedel and she met him in Blackpool in 1944. She said he died in action. My father and I both doubt the veracity of her tale, including his name, so all my hopes rely on someone recognising the man in the photo, which was most probably taken while he was training in Torquay or Blackpool. My grandmother was about 24 when she met him, her name was Kathleen and she was living in King's Lynn, Norfolk at the time. She had a 4 year old daughter. She was visiting friends in Blackpool, went out dancing one night and met this young chap. Her husband, also an RAF pilot, was away in India.
Any help would be much appreciated, including helping us determine what rank or squadron he could be part of based on the uniform.
