97/Kirkwood Crew: Kirkwood, portrait
Name/Title
97/Kirkwood Crew: Kirkwood, portraitEntry/Object ID
2022.1.507Description
James Kirkwood, pilot, 97 Squadron.Photograph Details
Type of Photograph
DigitalContext
James Kirkwood was born in 1915. At the time of his death, aged 28, in December 1943, his wife Margaret was living with their young son (also James) in Kilwinning in Ayrshire, Scotland, the town where James had spent much of his youth. He had been educated at Kilwinning Public School and Irvine Royal Academy. The family was musical – both he and his father sang for the Glasgow Male Voice Choir, and James also played the violin. After he had finished school, he worked for an insurance firm in Glasgow. He took up flying before the war, devoting most of his spare time to it. He enlisted in 1939, and won his commission in 1942. He had twin brothers, Cochrane and Wilson, who were also in the RAF, one a navigator and the other a pilot – both survived the war. James Kirkwood was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross; his wife Margaret went to Buckingham Palace to receive it from the King on 5th March 1945. The official citation for the DFC reads: “Flying Officer Kirkwood has as a captain of aircraft completed many successful sorties, operating against many of the most important targets in Germany and Italy. While attacking Mannheim, his aircraft was engaged by searchlights and anti-aircraft fire and severely damaged. Nevertheless, with great determination Flying Officer Kirkwood pressed home his attack. Immediately afterwards his aircraft was engaged by two enemy fighters and further damaged, but this officer skilfully frustrated the attackers and flew the bomber safely back to base. Throughout sorties against strongly defended targets Flying Officer Kirkwood’s determination to achieve his objective has been demonstrated by the excellent photographs he has obtained.” Information and photograph - courtesy of Jim Kirkwood. JIM KIRKWOOD added on 18 November 2022: "About my father Flying Log Book, a Airman broke into his Locker at Bourn when he found out my father had been killed and stole all the items in his Locker. The Police did catch him cashing in my father's Post Office Savings Book. The Saving Book was for me. I never found any letters from anyone at 97 Squadron about this matter. Made me very sad, my father being killed and to have someone do this to him."Collection
97 Squadron, The Bombing War: 16/17 December 1943, YY: RPA DIGITAL ITEMSCategory
QAI: Personal photographs