Warrant Officer Terence Riordan: A Detailed Biography
Warrant Officer Terence Riordan [1], a skilled pilot with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, tragically lost his life at the age of 22 in a mid-air collision during a vital pre-invasion operation in 1944. Born in Scotland to Irish parents, he exemplified the young volunteers who joined the RAFVR to defend freedom against Nazi aggression. His untimely death near RAF Dunsfold underscores the perilous risks of tactical bombing missions, even over friendly territory.
Early Life and Family
Terence Riordan entered the world on 8 April 1921 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland [1]. He was the son of John Vincent Riordan and Annie May Riordan (née Keane), a family of Irish descent who later resided at Brynredin, Western Road, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire [1]. Baptised just nine days later on 17 April 1921 at St Mary Immaculate in Glasgow, Terence’s early religious ceremony was officiated by Father Joanne T. Stuart, with godparents Am Keane and Gertrude M. Riordan present [1].
By the 1939 Register, taken on 29 September 1939, the 18-year-old Terence lived at 101 Streatham Road, Wandsworth, London, working as a Civil Service Clerk while single [1]. His clerical occupation provided stability amid rising tensions in Europe, but Terence’s path soon turned to military service. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) as early as January 1939, joining the surge of civilians who bolstered the RAF ahead of war [1][2]. The RAFVR, formed in 1936, rapidly expanded to supply aircrew, with Terence training as a pilot among thousands of recruits aged 18-25 [1].
The Riordan family maintained strong ties to Abergavenny, where Terence’s parents grieved his loss. No record exists of marriage or children, suggesting Terence remained devoted to his parents and service until his death [1]. His probate, granted on 2 June 1944 in Llandaff, Glamorgan, to Mary Spencer Goodall (a widow), valued his effects at £189 14s. 2d., reflecting modest wartime circumstances [1].
Military Service
Terence Riordan served as a Warrant Officer (Pilot) with Service Number 1377113 in No. 98 Squadron RAF, part of No. 139 Wing, No. 2 Group within the emerging Second Tactical Air Force (2 TAF) [1]. The squadron’s motto, “Never Failing”, captured their relentless spirit [1]. Formed in 1916, No. 98 Squadron reformed in 1936 and endured heavy losses early in the war, including 90 personnel aboard the sunken RMS Lancastria in June 1940 [2][3].
In August 1943, the squadron relocated to RAF Dunsfold, Surrey, to conduct pre-invasion strikes on northern France and V-1 flying bomb sites in the Pas-de-Calais [1][2]. Equipped with the American-built North American B-25 Mitchell II medium bomber, Terence piloted aircraft marked VO-N, including Serial Number FL682 [1]. These twin-engine bombers, operated by crews of five or six, featured improved defensive turrets after early modifications and flew in “box” formations of six for mutual protection [1][4].
No. 98 Squadron’s operations intensified in late 1943, targeting rail yards at Boulogne, airfields at Brest and Rotterdam, and V-weapon sites [2][5]. Terence’s expertise as a pilot was crucial in these low-level, high-risk daylight raids, preparing for D-Day close air support [1]. Posthumously, he received the 1939-45 Star and War Medal 1939-1945 [1].
Circumstances of Death
On 7 January 1944, Warrant Officer Riordan took off from RAF Dunsfold piloting Mitchell II FL682 (VO-N) on Operation La Sorellerie II, targeting a site near Lisieux, France—likely a V-1 storage or launch facility [1][6]. Cloud obscured primary and alternate targets (Mesnil au Val), forcing some aircraft to withhold bombs [4]. As two separate six-aircraft boxes returned in poor weather, tragedy struck: FL682 collided mid-air with Mitchell II FR396 (K) of No. 180 Squadron near Pallinghurst, Rudgwick, approximately three miles south of base [1][6][4].
The impact was catastrophic. FL682 crashed into an orchard, bursting into flames; if still loaded, bombs may have scattered nearby [4]. All crew perished: alongside Terence were Flight Sergeant Douglas Morris (navigator, buried in Abergavenny), Flight Sergeant Stanley Charles Norton (wireless operator/air gunner), and others [4]. The 180 Squadron crew, led by Fooks, also died [4]. This accident highlighted training and weather hazards, distinct from enemy action, amid 2 TAF’s intense preparations [1][7].
Terence died on active service, registered in Horsham (Volume 2b, Page 487) [1]. His loss compounded No. 98 Squadron’s toll, which saw aircraft downed by flak and fighters in prior raids [2].
Burial and Commemoration
Warrant Officer Terence Riordan rests at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England – Plot 21. C. 15, the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the UK, spanning 37 acres [1]. Established in World War I, it holds 1,601 Great War and 3,476 Second World War burials for those dying in Britain from wounds or other causes [1].
His headstone reads:
1377113 WARRANT OFFICER
T. RIORDAN
PILOT
ROYAL AIR FORCE
7TH JANUARY 1944 AGE 22
(Cross)
REQUIESCAT IN PACE [1]
“Rest in Peace” honours his Catholic faith. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) inscription notes: “Son of John Vincent Riordan and Annie May Riordan, of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire” [1]. Also commemorated on Find a Grave Memorial ID 17666069 [1].
Legacy
Terence Riordan’s sacrifice contributed to the tactical air campaign that crippled German V-weapon threats and supported Overlord. At 22, he rose from civil clerk to warrant officer, embodying RAFVR’s vital role—over 95% of Bomber Command aircrew by 1941 [1]. His parents in Abergavenny mourned a son who never faltered.
No. 98 Squadron continued from Dunsfold, bombing marshalling yards and No-Ball sites through D-Day, later moving to Swanton Morley [7][8]. Terence’s story endures via Dunsfold Airfield History Society records and aviation databases, reminding us of “friendly fire” risks [7][4]. As a 4th cousin once removed to descendants, his service links generations [1]. In Brookwood’s serene grounds, Terence rests among comrades, his “Never Failing” spirit eternal.
(Word count: 1,128)
Sources:
- [1] Individual Report for Terence Riordan (PDF)
- [2] No. 98 Squadron RAF – Wikipedia
- [7] 98 Squadron – Dunsfold Airfield History Society
- [6] Crash of two RAF B-25’s at Pallinghurst – Dunsfold Airfield
- [4] Page 5 – Dunsfold Airfield History Society
- CWGC: Terence Riordan
Sources
[1] Individual-Report-for-Terence-Riordan.pdf
[2] No. 98 Squadron RAF – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._98_Squadron_RAF
[3] No. 98 Squadron (RAF) – Virtual War Memorial Australia https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/3130
[4] Page 5 of 11 – Dunsfold Airfield History Society https://dunsfoldairfield.org/page/5/
[5] 98 Sqn – Long History – 3 – Jever Steam Laundry https://www.rafjever.org/98squadhistory3.htm
[6] crash Archives – Dunsfold Airfield History Society https://dunsfoldairfield.org/tag/crash/
[7] 98 Squadron – Dunsfold Airfield History Society https://dunsfoldairfield.org/98-squadron/
[8] No 98 Squadron – Chronology – Jever Steam Laundry https://www.jeversteamlaundry.org/98squadchronology.htm
[9] On the night of Friday 21st January 1944 Bomber Command … https://www.facebook.com/groups/558447124214499/posts/1678601295532404/
[10] 98 Sqn – Long History – 2 – Jever Steam Laundry https://www.rafjever.org/98squadhistory2.htm
[11] Accident de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito FB Mk VI HX946 … https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/142287
[12] North American Harvard – CASPIR Serial Search https://caspir.warplane.com/aircraft/serial-search/aircraft-no/200000852
[13] b-25 Archives – Dunsfold Airfield History Society https://dunsfoldairfield.org/tag/b-25/
[14] [PDF] canada’s air war 1942 – Bomber Command Museum Archives https://www.bombercommandmuseumarchives.ca/canadaairwar/canadaairwar1942.pdf
[15] Rob Philips Memorial Archive – 2TAF 98 Sqd RAF Killed or Missing https://aircrewremembered.com/lost-rob-philips-memorial-archive-2taf-98-sqd-raf-killed-or-missing.html
[16] Mighty Ninth War Diary?[RAFCommands Archive] https://www.rafcommands.com/archive/09350.php
[17] Allied Losses and Incidents: All Commands – Aircrew Remembered https://aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?s=69850&q=1944-06-12&qand=&exc1=&exc2=&search_type=&search_only=&o=Unit
[18] No.98 Sqn RAF – Squadron Profile. – Battleships-Cruisers.co.uk https://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/squadron_history.php?Squadron=559
[19] RAF 98 Squadron April 1940 Move to France https://travellinginacampervan.wordpress.com/2022/03/25/raf-98-squadron-april-1940-move-to-france/
[20] B25 Mid air collision over West Sussex | Aircraft of World War II … https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/b25-mid-air-collision-over-west-sussex.37037/
[21] Accident de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito B Mk XVI MM124, Monday 1 … https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/164543