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outer harbour. In this outer harbour near the mole were moored three heavily armed anti-aircraft ships, guarding the battle cruiser. Even if an aircraft succeeded in penetrating these formidable defences, it would be almost impossible, after delivering a low-level attack, to avoid crashing into the rising ground beyond.
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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
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This was well known to Flying
Officer Campbell who, despising the heavy odds, went cheerfully and resolutely to the task. He ran the gauntlet of the defences. Coming in at almost sea level, he passed the anti-aircraft ships at less than mast-height in the very mouths of their guns and skimming over
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The battle cruiser was secured alongside the wall on the north shore of the harbour, protected by a stone mole bending around it from the west. On rising ground behind the ship stood protective batteries of guns. Other batteries were clustered thickly round the two arms of land which encircle the
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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
Beaufort's full silhouette to the gunners. The aircraft met a withering wall of flak and
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This officer was the pilot of a
Beaufort aircraft of Coastal Command which was detailed to attack an enemy battle cruiser in Brest Harbour at first light on the morning of 6th April 1941. The aircraft did not return but it is known that a torpedo attack was carried out with the utmost daring.
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in
Ayrshire on 6 April 2000, the 59th anniversary of Campbell's death at Brest, a memorial plaque and bench were unveiled by his sister-in-law, and his 90-year-old brother handed over his VC to the safekeeping of the commanding officer of the present-day No. 22 Squadron.
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the mole launched a torpedo at point-blank range. The battle cruiser was severely damaged below the water-line and was obliged to return to the dock whence she had come only the day before.
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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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By pressing home his attack at close quarters in the face of withering fire on a course fraught with extreme peril, Flying
Officer Campbell displayed valour of the highest order.
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J. P. Scott DFM RCAF (navigator), R. W. Hillman (wireless operator) and W. C. Mulliss (air gunner), with full military honours. His valour was only recognised when the
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The KING has been graciously pleased to confer the VICTORIA CROSS on the undermentioned officer in recognition of most conspicuous bravery:—
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The announcement and accompanying citation for the decoration was published in supplement to the London
Gazette on 13 March 1942, reading
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394:. At RAF Wittering, the RAF base used for flying training by CUAS, the Campbell Building is named after him, which hosts the CUAS and
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Note:An air-launched torpedo required about 400 yards (370 m) to settle to its set depth and for the warhead to be armed.
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fighters, despite extensive damage to his aircraft. Two days later, on a 'Rover' patrol he torpedoed another vessel, off
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Flying
Officer Kenneth CAMPBELL (72446), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (deceased), No. 22 Squadron.
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Note: Sgt. Scott apparently tried to help fly the
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crashed into the harbour. The Germans buried Campbell and his three crew mates,
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aircraft after Victoria Cross holders. XR808 is named after Kenneth Campbell.
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Harbour, France, Flying Officer Campbell attacked the German battleship
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In September 1939, Campbell was mobilised for service with the
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Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II
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managed to pass along news of his brave deeds to Britain.
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torpedo bomber. Campbell torpedoed a merchant vessel near
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The Ship-Busters: The Story of the R.A.F. Torpedo-Bombers
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was moored only some 500 yards (460 m) away from a
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The attack had to be made with absolute precision: the
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A room is named after him at the town headquarters of
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British World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross
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in March 1941. Days later, he escaped from a pair of
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582:. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd., 1976.
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694:Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge
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243:. He gained a chemistry degree at
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392:Cambridge University Air Squadron
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271:. Flying Officer Campbell joined
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294:On 6 April 1941 over
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174:Brest air raid (1941)
169:European air campaign
132:Years of service
609:UK National Archives
285:Messerschmitt Bf 110
507:on 10 February 2013
273:No. 22 Squadron RAF
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607:exhibition at the
578:Robertson, Bruce.
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634:1917 births
616:on BBC for
553:13 December
527:"No. 35486"
511:2 September
432:25 February
628:Categories
620:11 11 2011
402:References
231:Early life
112:Allegiance
77:, Scotland
64:1917-04-21
398:offices.
370:Saltcoats
320:Sergeants
307:Gneisenau
300:Gneisenau
249:Cambridge
220:Gneisenau
135:1938–1941
71:Saltcoats
442:cite web
385:Sedbergh
289:IJmuiden
237:Ayrshire
120:Service/
75:Ayrshire
180:†
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364:Legacy
281:Borkum
192:Awards
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122:branch
102:Buried
614:Video
426:(PDF)
419:(PDF)
296:Brest
92:Brest
584:ISBN
555:2008
513:2012
448:link
434:2011
311:mole
150:Unit
140:Rank
82:Died
58:Born
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