Royal Air Force
Born: 19th April 1921.
Story
Ronald was born in Kippax, and went to school at Kippax, Rothwell and Whitwood. His parents were Leonard William Lindley (1899-1969) and Erilda Farrar (1900-1989), who married 23rd October 1920 in Stourton. His father served in the Royal Navy during the First World War on convoy duty, and his great grandmother, Mary Lindley (née Goadby) was the oldest woman in Kippax, until she passed away in 1944 at the age of 92, at which time she had had 8 children and 12 grandchildren, and many great grandchildren including Ronald.
Before the War, Ronald lived at 18 Pontefract Road, Rothwell, and worked as a Copper tube mill purchasing clerk for Copper Works in Stourton, then joined the Royal Air Force. He served 18 months in Southern Rhodesia, and was initially a leading Aircraftsman, before being promoted to Sergeant Pilot. Prime Minister Winston Churchill was concerned that elite universities were failing to provide men for the R.A.F. (Sergeant Pilots pictured below), and concluded, “They left it to the lower middle class.” Of those “excellent sons” of the lower middle class, Churchill added, “They have saved this country; they have the right to rule it.” Ronald passed away in Leeds in 1982.
Kippax Roll of Honour 