If ever there was a popular actor whose most famous role was diametrically opposite to his own life , surely it was Arnold Ridley. He became famous and very popular for playing Private Godfrey in the hugely popular tv series Dads Army. His character of Godfrey was elderly, doddery, kind, polite, mildly incontinent and a conscientious objector. But Mr Ridley's life could not have been more different. Born in 1896 he tried to enlist at the outbreak of WW1 in 1914 but was turned away because of a hammer toe. But he was accepted by the Somerset Light infantry in 1915 and sent to the Western Front. In the space of a year he saw much hand to hand fighting in the trenches He was stabbed in the groin with a bayonet and his legs were riddled with shrapnel. In 1916 at the Battle of the Somme his left hand was rendered forever almost unusable by another bayonet wound , at the same time he was smashed in the head by a German rifle butt which left a legacy of blackouts. He was then medically discharged that year. He rejoined the army in 1939 as a 2nd Lt, his job was looking after journalists in France attached to the BEF, was evacuated on an overcrowded warship during Dunkirk operations from Boulougne. But by now his WW1 wounds were catching him up and he left the army on medical grounds in 1940. He immediately joined the Home Guard in Caterham! He did of course go on to write The Ghost Train. Arnold Ridley passed away in 1984. A true hero who gave so much to our country. R.I.P.

And the Walkley award for Dumbfuck Headline of the year goes to…🤣😂😅

Distinguished aviation journalist and former Australian Aviation contributor Geoffrey Thomas has died at age 74 after a brief illness. #aviation #aerospace bit.ly/4ujEQhz

Happy Friday! It’s… #NationalFishAndChipsDay #Friday