97/Kirkwood Crew: Crew at 19 OTU

Name/Title

97/Kirkwood Crew: Crew at 19 OTU

Entry/Object ID

2022.1.529

Description

Crew of James Kirkwood at 56 Course, 19 OTU. (3 images)

Photograph Details

Type of Photograph

Digital

Context

Kirkwood at 56 Course, 19 OTU. He is at the far right of the front row of seated men. Also present at Robert Stewart, Ronald Cleeve, George Wigley, John Killen. Research by Steve Hunnisett (text of email to JMG: 21/11/2020):- "I came across the photograph when researching the piece at the National Archives in Kew, more specifically file reference AIR 29/663, which contains 239 photographs from every course at 19 OTU from 1940 to 1945. Most of them are annotated with the names and some of the courses are broken down into Pilots, Observers/Navigators and Air Gunners. Jim was part of no. 56 Course - in his case, unfortunately they've got his name wrong on the caption, spelling it as "Kirkland", rather than the correct name of "Kirkwood" and oddly, the guys are named from right to left - but it is definitely Jim. [...] I've also attached a copy of the passing out report of No. 56 Course on 18 April 1943, which comes from the O.R.B. of 19 OTU, file AIR 29/662, at which point they were posted to 1661 HCU at Winthorpe, where two further men were added to the crew, F/Sgt Hubbard (Flight Engineer) and Sgt. Madeley (Air Gunner)."

Collection

RAF Training, YZ/BRITISH NATIONAL ARCHIVES, KEW, YY: RPA DIGITAL ITEMS

Category

QRP: Formal or group photographs