Kenneth Campbell (soldier)
| Kenneth Campbell | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 21 April 1917 Saltcoats, Ayrshire, Scotland |
| Died | 6 April 1941 (aged 23) Brest, France |
| Buried | Brest (Kerfautras) Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Years of service | 1939-1941 † |
| Rank | Flying Officer |
| Unit | No. 22 Squadron RAF |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Flying Officer Kenneth Campbell VC (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.
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 50 feet (15 m).
The attack had to be made with absolute precision: the Gneisenau was moored only some 500 yards (460 m) 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. 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.
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