Tony Eldridge

Anthony "Lofty" William Charles Eldridge DSC (16 July 1923 – 13 April 2015) was a Royal Navy officer of the Second World War who led a human torpedo attack that sank two Japanese ships off Phuket, Thailand, for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross.

[1] Anthony William Charles Eldridge was born on 16 July 1923 in Royal Tunbridge Wells, and for his education he studied at The Skinners' School.

[1] On 27 October 1944, Sub-lieutenant Eldrige and his number two petty officer, Sidney “Butch” Woollcott, boarded their Chariot named Tiny.

They were accompanied on their mission by Petty Officer W. S. Smith and Ordinary Seaman Bert Brown aboard their chariot named Slasher.

[2] Conveyed to Phuket by the submarine HMS Trenchant, they launched at 22:00 to pilot their Chariot the final six and a half miles to the target.

[2] Arriving back at the submarine, the men were order to scuttle their chariots by Lieutenant-Commander “Baldy” Hezlet, who believed he had heard enemy propellers.

He emigrated to South Africa in 1954, where he continued his work for International Computers Limited installing information management systems.

He served there for 18 years and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal before moving back to South Africa after Rhodesian Independence.