Aris, George Biddulph, 1911-1995
Aris, George Biddulph, son of Thomas Biddulph Aris, of Purley, Surrey, and Janet Elsie, d. of George King; b. 15 June 1911; adm. Jan. 1925 (A); left July 1930; on staff of LPTB 1931-4; RA (TA) 1931-9 (Capt. 1939); Lieut.-Col. RA, despatches (Italy) Jan. 1945, MC Apr. 1945; OBE June 1951; an industrial map publisher; author of History of 5th British Infantry Division 1939-45; m. 17 Apr. 1939 Margaret Emily, d. of Lieut.-Col. John Douglas Fyffe RE; d. 24 Jan. 1995.
Aris, Jack Biddulph, 1915-1943
Aris, Jack Biddulph, brother of George Biddulph Aris (qv); b. 27 June 1915; adm. Apr. 1929 (A); left Mar. 1933; RAFVR 1942-3 (FO); m.; killed in action 1943.
Jack Biddulph Aris was born at Edenbridge, Kent on the 27th of June 1915 the younger son of Thomas Biddulph Aris, an Executive Advertising Assistant for the London Passenger Transport Board, and Janet Elsie (nee King) Aris of 21, Purley Rise, Purley in Surrey. He was the twin of his sister Mary Biddulph.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from April 1929 to March 1933. On leaving school he went to work as a buyer’s assistant for a biscuit manufacturers.
He was married at St John’s Church, Shirley, Surrey on the 27th of April 1940 to Joan Elizabeth “Joey” (nee Potter, later Aston), a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve where he rose to the rank of Sergeant before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 7th of March 1942. He and his crew attended No. 10 Operational Training Unit before becoming operational when they were posted to 158 Squadron based at RAF East Moor on the 9th of July 1942, and flew on their first operation together to Nantes on the 21st of July 1942. They took off from RAF East Moor on the night of the 31st of July/1st of August 1942 in Halifax Mk II W7777 for an operation on Dusseldorf. While over the target their aircraft was hit by anti aircraft fire which put aircraft into a loop and caused a loss of control. The pilot, Charles Sparke, put the aircraft into a dive at 330 mph before he managed to regain control and return to East Moor where they landed safely in the early hours of the morning with no injuries to the crew reported.
He was promoted to Flying officer on the 1st of October 1942.
On the night of the 10th/11th of December 1942 Bomber Command dispatched 48 Halifaxes, 20 Lancasters, 8 Stirlings and 6 Wellingtons for an operation on Turin. More than half the force was forced to turn back before they reached the Alps due to severe icing conditions but twenty eight crews went on and claimed to have bombed the target. The city reported that only three high explosive bombs had landed on the city of which two had failed to explode.
Jack Aris and his crew took off from RAF Rufforth at 4.45pm on the 10th of December 1942 in Halifax Mk II DT579 NP-V for the operation. The aircraft came down at 8.45am the following morning near the village of Villeneuve-en-Montagne, eight kilometers to the east of Le Creusot, just thirty meters from a farm building owned by Monsieur Monneret, with the loss of the entire crew.
The crew was: -
Flying Officer Jack Biddulph Aris (Navigator)
Pilot Officer Denis Ralph Collyer (Rear Gunner)
Sergeant Ronald Edlington (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant John William Furniss (Mid Upper Gunner)
Flying Officer Harry Middleton (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)
Flight Lieutenant Charles Lionel Sparke (Pilot)
Flying Officer Rayden Frederic Watson RCAF (Air Bomber)
Thiers was one of 4 aircraft which failed to return from the mission.
The crew was buried in the local cemetery in a ceremony which was led by the Mayor, Monsieur Bourogoyne, and was attended by all of the people of the town, in spite of the presence of the Germans.
A stone memorial was placed at the crash site in 1992.
He is buried at Villeneuve-en-Montagne Communal Cemetery, Collective Grave
ARIS, JOHN WHITTON, eldest son of John Aris, Weedon Lois, Northants., farmer, and Elizabeth, dau. of William Whitton, Green’s Norton, Northants.; b. 11 Apr 1867; adm. QS 16 Jun 1881; left (with Triplett) Jul 1886; Hertford Coll. Oxford, scholar 1886, matr. 22 Oct 1886; BA 1890; MA 1897; a land agent and surveyor at Richmond, Surrey; FSI 1896; Daniel Watney Prize (Forestry) 1910; d. 18 Jun 1937.
ARKYNSTALL, ---; b.; adm.; QS 1553-4 (Chapter Muniments 54001).
ARKYNSTALL, RICHARD, son of Thomas Arkynstall, Kingston, Cambs., and Joane, dau. of Richard Cox; b.; adm.; QS in 1553 (Chapter Muniments 54001); left 1554; of Wilburton, Cambs.; lic. to m. 1st, 1 Jan 1568/9 Elizabeth, dau. of William Radclif, Manchester; m. 2nd, Mary, dau. of John Boteler, Sharnbrook, Beds.; d. c. 1606. [note will Richard Arkenstall, Haddenham, Cambs., proved PCC 3 Feb 1608]
ARMITAGE, ALFRED, brother of Robert Armitage (qv); b. 17 Mar 1867; adm. 23 Sep 1880 (G); left May 1884; Clare Coll. Cambridge, adm. pens. 16 Jun 1885, matr. Mich. 1885; BA 1888; MA 1892; ordained deacon 1890, priest (St. Albans) 1891; Curate, West Ham, Essex 1891-7, Vicar 1897-1901; resigned holy orders 14 Aug 1903 under provisions of Clerical Disabilities Relief Act; JP (1906) Somerset; m. 4 Nov 1890 Mary Frances, dau. of Samuel Thompson, Muckamore Abbey, Co. Antrim; d. 28 Oct 1941.
ARMITAGE, PHILIP, brother of Robert Armitage (qv); b. 24 Aug 1870; adm. 22 Sep 1882 (G); left July 1889; Trinity Coll. Cambridge, adm. pens. 27 May 1889, matr. Mich. 1889; won all three bicycle races against Oxford 1893; BA 1892; MA 1899; Ridley Hall, Cambridge 1893; ordained deacon 1895, priest (Ely) 1896; Curate, Holy Trinity, Cambridge 1895-1900, 1901-4; Missioner at Allahabad 1900-1; Vicar of Birling, Kent 1904-8; Vicar of Nettlebed, Oxfordshire 1908-20; m. 18 Mar 1902 Elizabeth Christina, third dau. of Lieut. -Col. Anthony Marshall, Annstead, Northumberland; d. 12 May 1960.