| Archibald Ashmore McKellar | |
|---|---|
Archie McKellar, October 1940 |
|
| Nickname | Archie |
| Born | 10 April 1912 Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland |
| Died | 1 November 1940 (aged 28) Adisham, Kent, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1938–1940 |
| Rank | Flight Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar |
Flight Lieutenant Archibald Ashmore McKellar DSO DFC & Bar (10 April 1912 – 2 November 1940), was a top fighter ace of the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain in World War II .
Most of McKellar's victories were scored in the Hawker Hurricane.
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He was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, the son of John and Margaret McKellar, of Bearsden, Dunbartonshire,[1] McKellar was educated at Shawlands Academy in the southside of Glasgow.[2] He joined 32F 1st Glasgow Air Training Corps On leaving school he joined his father's construction business as a plasterer.
McKellar was commissioned into the Auxiliary Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 8 November 1936, joining No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron RAF.[3] The squadron was based at RAF Abbotsinch, near Paisley. At the time it was a bomber squadron, but it later converted to the fighter role and was equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire. As a reserve unit, the members of No. 602 - both pilots and ground staff - were only part-time airmen, doing their service in the evenings, weekends and on a two week annual summer camp. But as war approached, the squadron was put on a full time footing, and RAF Drem became an air defence fighter unit for Edinburgh and the shipping area around the Firth of Forth.
On 16 October 1939, the Luftwaffe made its first attack on Great Britain, on shipping in the Firth of Forth. Spitfires from No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron joined 602 Squadron in a defensive counter-air sortie. During one attack, the cockpit canopy of Hauptmann Pohle's Junkers Ju 88 released itself. Pohle tried to fly northwards to take an observation position, but was hit by shells from the Spitfires of Flt Lt George Pinkerton and McKellar. The now stricken aircraft came down three miles east of Crail, nearly colliding with a Coastal trading vessel.[4] Pohle was recovered, bleeding from facial wounds suffered in the crash, the other three crew members were dead on impact.[5]Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, Commander-in-Chief Fighter Command sent the following message to both squadrons the next day: "Well done. First blood to the Auxiliaries."[6]
McKellar is officially credited with the downing the first enemy aircraft to fall on British soil in World War II. On 28 October 1939 McKellar attacked a Heinkel He-111 of Stab./ Kampfgeschwader 26. After he had caused it considerable damage, he was then interrupted by the arrival of three Spitfires from 603 Squadron. Although argument rages to this day as to which squadron let alone pilot was the victor,[7] the 'kill' was only part credited to McKellar.
MacKellar holds the distinction of being involved in the first shootdown of an enemy plane during the first attack by the luftwaffe in Britain (which was over water) as well as being involved in the first shootdown of a Luftwaffe plane over British soil. He is also only one of 25 RAF pilots of World War II to achieve the status of "an ace in a day." He achieved this ace in a day status during the Battle of Britain on October 7 by downing five Bf 109's.
In early 1940, No. 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron moved to RAF Drem, as they converted to Hurricanes. McKellar was promoted to Flight Lieutenant[8] within No. 605, and became a flight leader.
On 15 August 1940 No. 605 were called up by Air Vice-Marshal Saul to assist in the defence of Tyneside, which was undergoing a heavy enemy air attack at the time from Norwegian based He 111s. McKellar was able to down three He 111s during the encounter, but together with two colleagues sustained minor damage to his Hurricane during the engagement.[9]
On 7 September 1940, No. 605 moved on rotation to Croydon Aerodrome. Then led by Squadron Leader Walter Churchill, McKellar scored four more victories on 9 September, before taking over from S/L Churchill from the 11 September. His score rose by another four on 15 September. His Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) was gazetted on 13 September 1940:[10]
Air Ministry, 13th September, 1940.ROYAL AIR FORCE.
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the undermentioned awards, in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy:—
Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Flight Lieutenant Archibald Ashmore MCKELLAR (90168), Auxiliary Air Force.
This officer has at all times displayed the keenest desire to engage the enemy. In his first large-scale encounter against enemy aircraft he displayed a great sense of leadership and tactics in launching his flight against ninety Heinkel m's. As a result, at least four enemy aircraft were destroyed, of which Flight Lieutenant McKellar destroyed three. He has displayed outstanding leadership and courage.
On 3 October "this small, trim, voluble, outspoken Scotsman"[11] became one of the select few pilots of Fighter Command to sit for one of Cuthbert Orde's iconic charcoal portraits.
On 7 October his score rose by another five victories, all Messerschmitt Bf 109s.[12] Becoming an 'ace in a day' was a feat only achieved by 25 RAF pilots during the Second World War.[13] A Bar to the DFC followed on 8 October 1940:[10]
Air Ministry, 8th October, 1940,ROYAL AIR FORCE.
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy: —
Awarded a Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Flight Lieutenant Archibald Ashmore McKELLAR, D.F.C. (90168), Auxiliary Air Force.
During a period of eight days in the defence of London, Flight Lieutenant McKellar has destroyed eight hostile aircraft, bringing his total to twelve. He displays an excellent fighting spirit, is a particularly brilliant tactician and has led his squadron with skill and resource.
During September McKellar shot down eight German aircraft, four of these were claimed on 9 September. On 7 October, McKellar went one better, shooting down five Bf 109s, four of which were destroyed after engaging 60 of the single-engined aircraft near Biggin Hill.[14]
By 1 November 1940 McKellar had claimed 21 victories. Taking a section of No. 605 that included Flt Lt Bob Foster, (later Squadron Leader) up to meet a flight of Bf 109 Jabos (Bf 109s equipped with bombs), the section took a high altitude to meet the enemy aircraft:
We were up and we saw a crowd of these and we were way above them and so Archie said "Come on, here we go down", so we went down but we were much too fast, the dive I know why, we went down like 'that' and the 109s saw us and we overshot them on the way down. A quick burst, they turned and were gone; we overshot. Well, once you do that, I mean, you've had it, you go home, but I did anyway. But Archie being what he was, he thought "No, no, I'm going to chase these so and so's" and that's, unfortunately, was the end of Archie. He went on, on his own, didn't look around, chasing this chap and the last thing was, they saw him going straight into a field in Kent. It's a lesson that I suppose you should've learnt; you just don't take too many chances - Wing Commander Robert W. Foster DFC AE lecturing in Finland, June 2004[15]
Believed shot down by II./ JG 27's Hauptmann Wolfgang Lippert.[14] McKellar's Hurricane MkI (V6879) crashed at the side of Woodlands Manor near Adisham, Kent at 18:20hrs.[12]
His Distinguished Service Order (DSO) was gazetted posthumously on 26 November 1940:
Air Ministry, 26th November, 1940.ROYAL AIR FORCE.
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following appointment and awards in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy: —
Appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order.
Squadron Leader Archibald Ashmore MCKELLAR, D.F.C. (90168), Auxiliary Air Force (since killed in action)—No. 605 Squadron.
This officer has led his squadron with outstanding courage and determination. He has destroyed 20 enemy aircraft, and his magnificent fighting spirit has proved an excellent inspiration to his fellow pilots.[16]
Further recognition came in a Mention in Despatches gazetted on 31 December 1940.[17]
As McKellar died outside the Air Ministry "nominal" dates for the Battle of Britain (10 July to 31 October 1940), he is not listed on the Battle of Britain roll of honour at The RAF Chapel, Westminster Abbey. McKellar is buried at the new Eastwood Cemetery, Thornliebank, Glasgow.[12][18][19]
Of McKellar's total kills, 13.5 confirmed kills, four probables and one damaged were scored in one particular machine; P3308 between 15 August and 7 October 1940. It became the Hurricane with the highest number of kills in the Battle of Britain. McKellar's Hurricane was handed over to a Czech unit, No. 312 Squadron RAF on the 4 January 1941. The machine was written off in an accident on 30 April 1941.[20]
| Date | Service | Flying | Kills | Probables | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 October 1939 | Royal Air Force | Spitfire | 1/2 *Junkers Ju 88of I./KG 30 | flying from RAF Drem with No. 602 Squadron. | First WW2 enemy plane shot down into British water. | |
| 28 October 1939 | Royal Air Force | Spitfire | 1/5 *Heinkel He 111 Stb./KG 26 | first enemy plane shot down on British soil since 1918 | ||
| 15 August 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | 3 x Heinkel He 111 | having transferred to No. 605 Squadron | ||
| 9 September 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | 3 x Heinkel He 111, 1 Bf 109 | flying from Croydon Aerodrome | ||
| 11 September 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | replaces S/L Churchill as Squadron Leader | |||
| 15 September 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | 2 x Bf 109,1 x Do 17 | awarded DFC*[10][10] DSO[16] | ||
| 7 October 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | 5 x Messerschmitt Bf 109(2 of 5./JG 27) | |||
| 1 November 1940 | Royal Air Force | Hurricane | KIA over Adisham, Kent, attacking Bf 109s | |||
| TOTALS | 17 + 3 shared kills | 5 probable, 3 damaged |