Pilot Officer Kenneth James Holmes
Date of Birth Circa 1915
Place of Birth
Air Force Branch RAF
Rank Pilot Officer (Pilot)
Service Number 44600
Awards DFC
Date of Death 18/06/1941
Location RAF Alton Barnes, Wiltshire
Squadron CFS
Aircraft type Miles Master III W8477
Location of Memorial Chippenham Cemetery, London Road, Chippenham Cons Sec Grave 1251
Next of Kin Son of Joseph and Annie May Holmes; husband of Mary Holmes, of Chippenham
On the 18th June 1941 Miles Master III W8477 collided with Airspeed Oxford I N6365 at RAF Alton Barnes near Devizes in Wilthsire, this accident was to claim the lives of Plt Off Kenneth Holmes (Master) and Plt Off Arthur Gibbons and Sgt Oswald Bate (Oxford), the only survivor being Fg Off Phillip Price. Fg Off Price had been Best man to Plt Off Holmes at his wedding to Mary Vaughan in Chippenham nearly two years earlier.
A few weeks before this tragic accident Plt Off Holmes had been notified of the award of a Distinguished Flying Cross for "gallantry and determination in carrying out a dangerous operation in the face of intense enemy opposition". The operation for which he won the award being flown against the two German cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau berthed in Brest harbour on the night of the 14th/15th April 1941.
The citation read as follows;
Pilot Officer Kenneth James HOLMES (44600)--
No. 217 Squadron.
One night in April, 1941, this officer was
the captain of an aircraft detailed to attack
enemy battle cruisers in the dock at Brest.
In the face of intense and accurate anti-aircraft
fire and searchlight activity, he
descended to a low altitude and released his
bomb load over the target. He displayed
great courage and determination under extremely
harassing circumstances.
(London gazette 13th May 1941)
Plt Off Holmes was to have attended an Investiture with King VI, the week after the accident. At the time of his death Plt Off Holmes had been training as a flying instructor with the RAF's Central Flying School.
Place of Birth
Air Force Branch RAF
Rank Pilot Officer (Pilot)
Service Number 44600
Awards DFC
Date of Death 18/06/1941
Location RAF Alton Barnes, Wiltshire
Squadron CFS
Aircraft type Miles Master III W8477
Location of Memorial Chippenham Cemetery, London Road, Chippenham Cons Sec Grave 1251
Next of Kin Son of Joseph and Annie May Holmes; husband of Mary Holmes, of Chippenham
On the 18th June 1941 Miles Master III W8477 collided with Airspeed Oxford I N6365 at RAF Alton Barnes near Devizes in Wilthsire, this accident was to claim the lives of Plt Off Kenneth Holmes (Master) and Plt Off Arthur Gibbons and Sgt Oswald Bate (Oxford), the only survivor being Fg Off Phillip Price. Fg Off Price had been Best man to Plt Off Holmes at his wedding to Mary Vaughan in Chippenham nearly two years earlier.
A few weeks before this tragic accident Plt Off Holmes had been notified of the award of a Distinguished Flying Cross for "gallantry and determination in carrying out a dangerous operation in the face of intense enemy opposition". The operation for which he won the award being flown against the two German cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau berthed in Brest harbour on the night of the 14th/15th April 1941.
The citation read as follows;
Pilot Officer Kenneth James HOLMES (44600)--
No. 217 Squadron.
One night in April, 1941, this officer was
the captain of an aircraft detailed to attack
enemy battle cruisers in the dock at Brest.
In the face of intense and accurate anti-aircraft
fire and searchlight activity, he
descended to a low altitude and released his
bomb load over the target. He displayed
great courage and determination under extremely
harassing circumstances.
(London gazette 13th May 1941)
Plt Off Holmes was to have attended an Investiture with King VI, the week after the accident. At the time of his death Plt Off Holmes had been training as a flying instructor with the RAF's Central Flying School.
Sources: CWGC, Wiltshire Gazette, Wings Over Wilthsire - Rod Priddle, London Gazette.