Ernest James Pridham Sergeant R/274918 Royal Canadian Air Force November 15, 1925 Collingwood, Ontario September 8, 1943 Kingston, Ontario Kingston, Ontario 17 5 feet, 9 inches Medium Brown Brown Single Mechanic Anglican Kathleen Elizabeth Pridham (Mother) November 15, 1944 18 Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, UK 51. D. 10.

Name: Rank: Service No: Service: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Date of Enlistment: Place of Enlistment: Address at Enlistment Age at Enlistment: Height: Complexion: Eye Colour: Hair Colour: Marital Status: Trade: Religion: Next of Kin: Date of Death: Age at Death: Cemetery: Grave Reference:

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Ernest James Pridham was the only son of Harold George Pridham and Kathleen Elizabeth (Devine) Pridham, of Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Ernest attended Rideau School in Kingston between 1934 and 1940, and Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute until 1942. He was then employed as a mechanic with Canadian Industries Limited, in Kingston until his enlistment with the RCAF. His hobby was building model planes and he played rugby, softball, baseball, and enjoyed swimming. Sergeant Pridham completed initial training in Canada, obtaining his Air Gunner Badge on March 10, 1944. He embarked Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 5, 1944 and disembarked in United Kingdom on May 11, 1944. He was assigned to No. 24 OTU (Operational Training Unit) on June 13, 1944, and to 61 Base Conversion Unit 1664 September 9, 1944. On November 15, 1944, Sergeant Pridham was an Air Gunner on aircraft Handley Page Halifax V LL137 that departed RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire, England, on a training night cross-country exercise. The aircraft with a crew of eight, collided with a 1666 HCU Halifax (JP201 QY-X), both aircraft crashing near Bow, North East of Exeter, Devon, South West England. All are buried in the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, UK as are the crew of Halifax JP201 QY-X. At the Village Green, Morchard Bishop, Devon there is a Memorial Stone and inscribed stone tablets in memory of the crew of 1664 HCU Halifax LL137 and the crew of 1666 HCU Halifax JP201