AT THE RECENT Remembrance Sunday service, I was reminded of the story of a young Camelford, Battle of Britain pilot, which I am sure will be of interest to local people.

The story begins with Major Ripley, who served in the First World War with the Middlesex Regiment in France.

After the war, he came home to his family seat, Bedstone Court in Shropshire — a grand 'calendar' house, said to have had a window for every day of the year, twelve chimneys for the months, fifty-two rooms and seven entrances; a sign of good luck.

However, the Major could not settle. He had been wounded, gassed and badly shell shocked. He became quite discontented and began to travel a great deal, having, I believe, mining interests in South Africa.

Sometime during his travels, he became guardian to a young lad called Kenneth Christopher Holland.

The Major then bought Melorne House at Camelford Station — a fine house, formerly the station hotel.

In 1936, the Major decided to adopt Kenneth and, being a deeply religious man, the Major had him christened Kenneth Christopher Holland Ripley (Christopher) at Tintagel Church.

Christopher went on to join the RAF, along with Major Ripley's other son. Sgt Pilot Christopher Ripley flew in 152 sqdn spitfires at Wormwell in Dorset, for the Battle of Britain, as part of 10 group.

They had to defend Bristol, Exeter and Plymouth from mass bombing raids.

On September 25, 1940, 152 sqdn were scrambled and Sgt Pilot Ripley shot down three enemy bombers. He then manoeuvred his spitfire into position and attacked his forth enemy aircraft, a Heinkel HE111, which caught fire and started to rapidly lose height.

Christopher banked round and down to take a closer look at the crashing aircraft, not realising the tail gunner was still in action.

Christopher's spitfire took a direct hit and crashed to earth near Woolverton in Somerset. Sgt Pilot Ripley was killed, and afterwards cremated in Weymouth. Later, Major Ripley had a memorial stone erected on the crash site.

In Tintagel Church, the Major had a small statue placed on the wall with a plaque below on which is inscribed the words: 'This statue is placed here to the glory of God and in the memory of my dearly loved, adopted son Kenneth Christopher Holland Ripley, Sgt Pilot RAF who was killed in action in the Battle of Britain September 25, 1940, near Woolverton, Somerset, aged 20 years. He was baptised at the font in this church September 13, 1936.'

At Melorne House, Christopher's bedroom was kept by Major Ripley as a shrine, complete with the urn containing Christopher's ashes, until the Major moved and sold the house to a local family in 1950.

Let us hope that Major Ripley finally found peace and happiness.

The German tail gunner survived his crash and sent the Major a very moving letter of condolence. There seems to have been some honour, even in war.

Lest we forget.

By David Keast, Camelford.