Description
Physical description
Dress
Long floral patterned wedding dress made of artificial silk with long sleeves and three-buttoned back. The dress features a train and has an integral belt to the tapered waist.
Label
This utility pattern dress was ordered by Eileen Baddock for her proposed marriage to Pilot Officer Leslie Clement Dorward, Royal Australian Air Force. Dorward (posthumous DFC) was killed in action just one week before the wedding and it was thus never worn.
Flying Officer Leslie Clement Dorward was serving as the navigator, in the crew of Lancaster R5701,of No. 97 Squadron (Straits Settlements) RAF. On the night of 5th/6th October 1942, the Lancaster R5701, took off from RAF Woodhall Spa, as part of the raid on Aachen. the weather conditions comprised thunderstorms and heavy icing. the aircraft came down close to Brunssum, in The Netherlands. The downing of the Lancaster was attributed to a Luftwaffe night fighter from the airfield at Sint Truiden. The pilot had claimed to have shot down a Halifax in the area, though there was no report of a missing Halifax on the night of 5th/6th October 1942 - making it most probable the Luftwaffe pilot shot down R5701.
Eileen later joined the ATS and married later in life.
A portrait photograph of F/O Dorward as well as one of Eileen in ATS uniform are both available in the file held in the DEAF office.
History note
This utility pattern dress was ordered by Eileen Baddock for her proposed marriage to Flying Officer Leslie Clement Dorward, Royal Australian Air Force. However, Flying Officer Dorward (posthumous DFC) was killed in action just one week before the wedding and the dress was thus never worn.
Eileen later joined the ATS and married later in life.
A portrait photograph of F/O Dorward as well as one of Eileen in ATS uniform are both available in the file held in the DEAF office.