Operation: Patrol

Date: 08th June 1940 (Saturday)

Unit: No. 32 Squadron. 11 Group (motto: Adeste Comites - 'Rally round, comrades')

Type: Hurricane I

Serial: N2406

Code: GZ-?

Base: RAF Biggin Hill, Kent

Location: Houville-En-Vexin

Pilot: P/O. Kenneth Kirkcaldie 72526 RAF Age 28. Killed (1)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 08:20 hrs on an offensive patrol starting over Le Tréport - Aumale in Northern France.

During an attack by the squadron on He111s of I./KG1 over Rouen they were then attacked by their escort, Bf109s from III/JG26. P/O. Kirkcaldie was shot down at 09:30 hrs.

A terrible day for the squadron losing 3 aircraft, the others:

Hurricane I N2582 Flown by P/O. Geoffrey Inglesby Cherrington 42589 RAF - killed after being shot down by Bf109s from III/JG26 at Fief-Thoubert, St-Saëns at 09:25 hrs.

Hurricane I P3353 Flown by P/O. Douglas Hamilton Grice who survived (same details as others) and returned to his unit. He was shot down again on the 15th August 1940 flying Hurricane I N2459 and rescued by a RAF MTB. Retired in 1947 as a Wing Commander holding the DFC and MBE, passed away on the 24th March 1998.

(1) His older brother also died later in the war - see details below.

Burial details:

P/O. Kenneth Kirkcaldie. Houville-En-Vexin Churchyard. Collective grave. Born on the 18th December 1911 at Wellington, the son of Herbert and Kathleen Kirkcaldie (née Stubbs), of Wellington City, New Zealand and husband of Esma Mae Kirkcaldie (later Gray), of Lagos, Nigeria, (LLM Law degree). Also of Hampstead, England. Grave inscription reads: "Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum" (Translation: Never A Step Backwards) A total of 240 flying hours logged.

Brother:

Fl/Lt. John Allan Kirkcaldie 1310 RNZAF. Wellington Cemetery (Karori). Grave 184. P.P. Born on the 04th June 1905 at Wellington, the son of Herbert and Kathleen Kirkcaldie (née Stubbs), of Wellington City and husband of Florence Mary Kirkcaldie (née Anderson), of Timaru, Canterbury. Died of natural causes at Wellington Park Hospital on the 02nd December 1944 after being admitted in March 1944. He had flown over 400 hours whilst with Wellington Aero Club before the war. Prior to his illness he was Commanding Officer of 2 Anti-Aircraft Flight at Rongotai. Worked as a sheep farmer before enlisting.

Other:

P/O. Geoffrey Inglesby Cherrington. Ste. Marie Cemetery, Le Havre. Divn. 67. Row T. Grave 20. Initially buried as unknown it wasn't until October 1947 when the MREU discovered his aircraft nearby and identified his grave. No further details - are you able to assist?

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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