|
Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell (21 April 1917 – 6 April 1941) was a Scottish airman, posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for an attack which damaged the German battlecruiser ''Gneisenau'', moored in Brest, France. ==Life== Kenneth Campbell was from Ayrshire and educated at Sedbergh School. He gained a chemistry degree at Clare College, Cambridge,〔()〕 where he was a member of the Cambridge University Air Squadron. In September 1939, he was mobilised for RAF service. Flying Officer Campbell joined No. 22 Squadron RAF in September 1940, piloting the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber. Campbell torpedoed a merchant vessel near Borkum in March 1941. Days later, he escaped from a pair of Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighters, despite extensive damage to his aircraft. Two days later, on a 'Rover' patrol he torpedoed another vessel, off IJmuiden. On 6 April 1941 over Brest Harbour, France, Flying Officer Campbell attacked the German battleship ''Gneisenau''. He flew his Beaufort through the gauntlet of concentrated anti-aircraft fire from about 1000 weapons of all calibres and launched a torpedo at a height of . The attack had to be made with absolute precision: the ''Gneisenau'' was moored only some away from a mole in Brest's inner harbour. For the attack to be effective, Campbell would have to time the release to drop the torpedo close to the side of the mole.〔Note:An air-launched torpedo required about to settle to its set depth and for the warhead to be armed.〕 That Campbell managed to launch his torpedo accurately is testament to his courage and determination. The ship was severely damaged below the waterline and was obliged to return to the dock whence she had come only the day before; she was put out of action for six months, lessening the threat to Allied shipping crossing the Atlantic.〔Barker pages 57 to 67〕〔Robertson pages 14 & 15〕 Generally, once a torpedo was dropped, an escape was made by low-level jinking at full throttle. Because of rising ground surrounding the harbour, Campbell was forced into a steep banking turn, revealing the Beafort's full silhouette to the gunners. The aircraft met a withering wall of flak and crashed into the harbour. The Germans buried Campbell and his three crew mates, Sergeants J. P. Scott DFM RCAF (navigator),〔Note: Sgt. Scott apparently tried to help fly the Beaufort when Campbell was incapacitated by the flak.〕 R. W. Hillman (wireless operator) and W. C. Mulliss (air gunner), with full military honours. His valour was only recognised when the French Resistance managed to pass along news of his brave deeds to England.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Kenneth Campbell (VC)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|