Stewart was a member of the Officer Training Corps and a keen Rugby player, where he was selected for the First XV, which included playing in the team’s last peacetime match, against the School Old Boys, in November 1913.

He left Oundle in April 1914 and prepared for a career in business. However, in August 1914 Britain declared War against Germany, and Stewart’s embryo business career ended, when he and brother Thomas both enlisted in the 1/4th Battalion of Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment) 

Stewart did not stay long with the 1/4th Yorkshires, as he was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the 12th (Service) Battalion of the Regiment (Teesside Pioneers) in February 1915. His new unit was formed in December 1914 by the Mayor and Town of Middlesbrough and based at Gosforth.

The Aerial Department of Sir W.G. Armstrong Whitworth & Co. Ltd. had established an aeroplane works at Gosforth in 1913, and when Stewart arrived there the company was building B.E.2s under contract. It is by no means unlikely that Stewart saw the aeroplanes in flight, and this may have influenced his July decision to apply for a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps (R.F.C.) which saw him serve as an Observer on the Western Front.

He was duly gazetted as a Flying Officer (Observer) on 22 November 1915.

On 23 March 1916 Stewart, who enjoyed the nickname 'Riddles' was initially posted to No. 34 Squadron at Castle Bromwich. However, 2Lt. Ridley’s time with the unit was brief. On 25 April he was gazetted as a Flying Officer (Pilot), and shortly afterwards transferred to No. 17 Squadron in Egypt. The squadron had been formed at Gosport (Fort Grange) on 1 February 1915 before moving to Hounslow on 5 August prior to embarkation for Egypt on 15 November, equipped with the B.E.2c. After arrival at Alexandria on 11 December, it moved to Heliopolis a week later, before being split into components and deployed to separate aerodromes: El Hamman, Suez, Kharge, and Port Sudan, with detachments at Fayoum, Minya, Assiyat, Rahad, Nahud and Jebel el Hillah. The squadron’s aeroplanes were in Egypt to support the troops defending the Suez Canal from the Turks in the east, and those suppressing the Senussi Revolt in the west.

The Senussi was an Islamic sect based in Libya and Egypt and had waged a guerrilla campaign against the Italian colonial power after the Italians displaced the Ottoman Turks following the Italo-Turkish War of 1911-1912 [5]. As part of an effort to divert British troops away from the major fronts, the Central Powers encouraged the Grand Senussi, Ahmed Sharif es Senussi, to declare a Jihad against the infidels. Boosted by artillery, machine-guns and funds supplied by German U-Boats, together with guidance from Turkish officers, including Yüzbaşi (Captain) Nuri Killigil, the half-brother of the Ottoman Minister of War, Enver Pasha, the Senussi attacked British and Egyptian outposts in November 1915, and advanced to a position some 50 kilometres east of Sollum. In response, the Western Frontier Force (W.F.F.) was created, using British and Australian cavalry, British, Indian and South African infantry, with British and Egyptian artillery, as well as the Duke of Westminster’s armoured cars. R.F.C. air support was initially provided by No. 14 Squadron.

Operations against the Senussi were divided into two areas, in the north adjacent to the coast and, further south, around several desert oases. On 25 February 1916 the Senussi attacked along the coast but were driven off. Next day, at Agagia, the W.F.F. cavalry, the Dorset Yeomanry, aided by the Duke of Westminster’s Rolls-Royce armoured cars, cut off the Senussi’s line of retreat, then the infantry advanced, forcing the tribesman to retreat, when the cavalry attacked. The battle broke the Senussi command, and although the campaign spluttered along for more several more months, the tribe was no longer a threat near the Mediterranean coast. However, the campaign against the Senussi around the oases in the south continued, while No. 14 Squadron was replaced by No. 17 Squadron.

Stewart joined a Half Flight from No. 17 Squadron at Kharga, some 520 kilometres south of Cairo, and over 160 kilometres from the nearest railhead. Situated in a hollow, Kharga was a well-watered oasis, with several nearby villages, and noted for its fine dates. The Half Flight had moved up from Assiyat on 20 April. Ground patrolling in the area was primarily the responsibility of No. 10 Company of the Imperial Camel Corps [9] (I.C.C.), commanded by Lt. Charles Harry Norman Ashlin [10] (formerly 1/1st East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry) who were based around a stone building, converted into a fort, that commanded the western approach to Kharga. A platoon of the 1/6th Battalion, Royal Scots provided the fort’s garrison. Lt. Ashlin had earned the displeasure of the Scots when he forbade the playing of bagpipes within half a kilometre of the fort, after the camels stampeded and raced into the desert when they first heard the sound of the instruments. Recovering the animals took several hours.

The next step in the campaign was to attack the Senussi encampment at Dahkla, also known as, Dakhilah oasis, some 160 kilometers to the west, which meant traversing an inhospitable desert, with few waterholes, before climbing the only path to the top of an almost perpendicular escarpment over 100 meters high. The airmen may well have considered themselves lucky to be able to fly over this most unwelcoming land.

On Thursday 15 June two B.E.2c aircraft, the aircraft serial numbers appear to be lost to history, left Kharga for an advanced landing ground established by an I.C.C. patrol some 65 kilometers to the west, with the intention of carrying out a reconnaissance of Senussi positions next day. 2Lt. Ridley flew one aeroplane, with No. 3711 Air Mechanic Class 1 John Albert Garside, the son of James and Sarah Garside of Lowestoft, as observer. The other B.E. was flown by Lt. George Dudley Gardner [11] (formerly 2/4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment), and the observer was Gallipoli veteran Lt. Henry Daniel Williams [12] (formerly 11th Squadron, Auckland Mounted Rifles), from Taranaki, New Zealand. Lt. George Gardner qualified for Royal Aero Club Certificate No. 1630 flying a Maurice Farman on 7 August 1915, at No. 5 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron at Castle Bromwich. He was originally posted to No. 24 Squadron, before a transfer to No. 17 Squadron at Heliopolis, Egypt, on 21 February 1916.

Left: 2/ Lt. George Dudley Gardner, Pilot; Right: 2/Lt. Henry Daniel Williams, Observer

Events did not go to plan, as the airmen were unable to find the camel patrol, despite flying for about 90 minutes – the camels should have been found after an hour’s flight. As darkness was approaching, and Stewart’s engine was now not running as well as it should, the two aircraft landed and the crews set up camp for the night. Friday was not a good day for flying, but it was eventually decided that Stewart would take off and endeavour to locate the camels. However, the recalcitrant engine refused to start.

After consideration, it was decided that the best course of action would be for Lt. Gardner to return to Kharga to determine the exact location of the target oasis and to summon assistance, while 2Lt. Ridley and AM Garside remained with their stricken machine, supplied with the water and provisions from both aircraft. However, after the other aeroplane departed, they were evidently able to coax their engine back into life and opted to fly back to Kharga. Tragically, after take-off, the B.E.’s engine failed again, and the airmen were again forced to land in the desert, now away from the position where searchers would expect to find them.

When Lt. Gardner arrived at Kharga, he learned that the I.C.C. patrol had returned. A search for the missing aeroplane commenced on Saturday, using the other B.E.2c in the air, accompanied by camels and motor cars on the ground. Of course, the airmen were no longer where they had originally landed, which made finding them much more difficult.

On Sunday afternoon, searchers found the second landing spot, some 40 kilometers from the original, but the aeroplane was no longer there. The airmen had evidentially tried to lighten the aeroplane’s load by abandoning non-essential items, but there was no information to guide searchers. The aeroplane was eventually found by a motor patrol on Tuesday afternoon; footprints in the sand showed that the men had started walking away. Fresh camel tracks were then discovered, and it was hoped that perhaps the aviators had been captured by Senussi. Sadly, shortly afterwards the I.C.C. found the airmen’s bodies. It was determined that 2Lt. Ridley died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, probably from his revolver, at about 10.30 on Sunday, while AM Garside had perished later from dehydration. The officer leading the search party concluded that Stewart had taken his own life so as to improve his observer’s chances of survival.

When the bodies were examined, it was discovered that AM Garside had kept a diary of their ordeal:

Friday. —Mr. Gardiner (sic) left for Meheriq [El-Mahiriq is an oasis about 20 kilometers north of Kharga] and said he would come and pick one of us up. After he went, we tried to get the machine going and succeeded in flying for about 25 minutes. Engine then gave out. We tinkered engine up again, succeeded in flying about 5 miles [8 kilometers] next day (Saturday), but engine ran short of petrol.

Sunday. —After trying to get engine started, but could not manage it owing to weakness, water running short—only half a bottle—Mr. Ridley suggested walking up to the hills.

Six p.m. (Sunday): Found it was further than we thought; got there eventually; very done up. No luck. Walked back, hardly any water, about a spoonful. Mr. Ridley shot himself at 10.30 on Sunday whilst my back was turned. No water all day; don't know how to go on; got one Very light; dozed all day, feeling very weak; wish someone would come; cannot last much longer.

Monday. —Thought of water in compass, got half bottle; seems to be some kind of spirit. Can last another day. Fired Lewis gun, about four rounds; shall fire my Very light to-night; last hope without machine comes. Could last days if had water.

On Sunday 25 June, a party including a Chaplain, went out to the scene of the tragedy and buried the two airmen in the desert, before erecting a cross with their names on it over the heap of stones covering the bodies.

2Lt. Stewart Gordon Ridley is now buried in Grave H. 121 in Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt. AM John Albert Garside is buried next to him in Grave H.120.

All information was adapted from a Western Front Association article here:

https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/2020/july/the-tragic-story-of-2lt-stewart-gordon-ridley/