Kenneth Campbell

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Kenneth Campbell (April 21, 1917 - April 6, 1941) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

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He was 24 years old, and a Flying Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, serving on No. 22 Squadron RAF, during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 6 April 1941 over Brest Harbour, France, Flying Officer Campbell attacked the German battle-cruiser Gneisenau. He ran the gauntlet of concentrated anti-aircraft fire from about 1000 weapons of all calibers and launched a torpedo at a height of 50 feet. 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 out of action for 6 months, which thus allowed allied shipping to cross the Atlantic without any threat. Flying Officer Campbell's aircraft met a withering wall of flak and crashed into the harbour. The Germans buried Campbell and his other three crew mates with full military honours. His valour was only recognised when the French Resistance managed to leak news of his brave deeds to England. A memorial to him stands in his old school, Sedbergh, commemorating his brave deeds.

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At a small ceremony in his home town of Saltcoats in Ayrshire on 6 April 2000, the 59th anniversary of his 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 22 Squadron.

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