CREW: James Kirkwood, Edward George Hubbard, Robert Charles Stewart, George Alexander Wigley, Ronald George Cleeve, Leonard Madeley, John Killen
Biographical Notes on the Kirkwood Crew
James Kirkwood
James Kirkwood was born in 1915, and thus was in his late 20s at the time of his death on 17th December 1943. His wife Margaret received the telegram notifying her that he had been killed 'as a result of air operations' in the evening of 17th December.
At the time 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, Cochran 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."
Ted Hubbard
His home was at Sugnall, near Eccleshall, Staffordshire. His father was groom on the Sugnall estate until shortly before Ted's death; he lost his job when the riding horses on the estate had to be destroyed because of the war, and only days before his death Ted had helped his parents move house, to the village of Croxton, about a mile away. Ted worked in a garage in Eccleshall before the war and was a member of the choir at Croxton Chuch, where he is buried.
John Killen's page
Bob Stewart
Born and bred in Braemar, Aberdeenshire
George Wigley
George was brought up by his grandparents in Camberwell where he went to school. From school he worked in a bank. In 1942 he volunteered.
He went to Canada to train to be a pilot but unfortunately did not pass the final exam, trained as a gunner and then as a bomb aimer. He also went to Orlando for training.
Shortly before his last operation, he was on leave and went home. He told his mother not to worry as for the next six weeks he would be grounded. He was sitting some exams for promotion and an extra band on his arm. The family do not know how he came to be on the last, fateful operation.
James Kirkwood
James Kirkwood was born in 1915, and thus was in his late 20s at the time of his death on 17th December 1943. His wife Margaret received the telegram notifying her that he had been killed 'as a result of air operations' in the evening of 17th December.
At the time 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, Cochran 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."
Ted Hubbard
His home was at Sugnall, near Eccleshall, Staffordshire. His father was groom on the Sugnall estate until shortly before Ted's death; he lost his job when the riding horses on the estate had to be destroyed because of the war, and only days before his death Ted had helped his parents move house, to the village of Croxton, about a mile away. Ted worked in a garage in Eccleshall before the war and was a member of the choir at Croxton Chuch, where he is buried.
John Killen's page
Bob Stewart
Born and bred in Braemar, Aberdeenshire
George Wigley
George was brought up by his grandparents in Camberwell where he went to school. From school he worked in a bank. In 1942 he volunteered.
He went to Canada to train to be a pilot but unfortunately did not pass the final exam, trained as a gunner and then as a bomb aimer. He also went to Orlando for training.
Shortly before his last operation, he was on leave and went home. He told his mother not to worry as for the next six weeks he would be grounded. He was sitting some exams for promotion and an extra band on his arm. The family do not know how he came to be on the last, fateful operation.
Left: James Kirkwood, the pilot
Right: George Alexander Wigley, the bomb aimer
Below: Some images from George's logbook - the crew came straight from the PFF training centre at Upwood, and were killed almost immediately
Right: George Alexander Wigley, the bomb aimer
Below: Some images from George's logbook - the crew came straight from the PFF training centre at Upwood, and were killed almost immediately
CAPTAIN: KIRKWOOD
LANCASTER R-ROGER - JB219
Crashed at Gransden and caught fire, aircraft destroyed. Entire crew killed.
CREW
Pilot: P/O James Kirkwood
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Kilwinning Cemetery
Flight Engineer: F/S Edward George Hubbard, "Ted"
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Croxton (St Paul's) Cemetery
Navigator: Sgt Robert Charles Stewart, "Bob"
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Braemar (St Andrews) Graveyard
Bomb Aimer: F/O George Alexander Wigley
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Carshalton (All Saints) Churchyard
W/Op: Sgt Ronald George Cleeve, possibly known as "Reg"
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Wyke Regis New Burial Ground
Mid-Upper Gunner: Sgt Leonard Madeley, "Len"
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Manchester Southern Cemetery
Rear Gunner: Sgt John Killen
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Hollinfare Cemetery
LANCASTER R-ROGER - JB219
Crashed at Gransden and caught fire, aircraft destroyed. Entire crew killed.
CREW
Pilot: P/O James Kirkwood
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Kilwinning Cemetery
Flight Engineer: F/S Edward George Hubbard, "Ted"
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Croxton (St Paul's) Cemetery
Navigator: Sgt Robert Charles Stewart, "Bob"
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Braemar (St Andrews) Graveyard
Bomb Aimer: F/O George Alexander Wigley
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Carshalton (All Saints) Churchyard
W/Op: Sgt Ronald George Cleeve, possibly known as "Reg"
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Wyke Regis New Burial Ground
Mid-Upper Gunner: Sgt Leonard Madeley, "Len"
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Manchester Southern Cemetery
Rear Gunner: Sgt John Killen
Killed 17-Dec-43, buried in Hollinfare Cemetery
DETAILS
The aircraft crashed in deserted farmland and were not discovered until daylight. It had been attempting to land at Gransden Lodge, where conditions were no better than at Bourn.
Pilot Officer Kirkwood and all his crew died of multiple injuries. There is no record on the accident card of a fire starting on the ground, but this seems to be an omission as the relevant part of the card has not been filled in. The Lancaster went down just past midnight, apparently in a last desperate attempt to locate Gransden Lodge airfield but instead crashing into Hayley Wood close to the perimeter. It was found at quarter to eight on the Friday morning, with the entire crew dead around or inside it. They had only been posted from 207 Squadron to the Pathfinders on the 27th of November.
Pilot Officer Kirkwood and all his crew died of multiple injuries. There is no record on the accident card of a fire starting on the ground, but this seems to be an omission as the relevant part of the card has not been filled in. The Lancaster went down just past midnight, apparently in a last desperate attempt to locate Gransden Lodge airfield but instead crashing into Hayley Wood close to the perimeter. It was found at quarter to eight on the Friday morning, with the entire crew dead around or inside it. They had only been posted from 207 Squadron to the Pathfinders on the 27th of November.
Above, L-R:
James Kirkwood, George Wigley, Ted Hubbard
Below, L-R:
Ted Hubbard, Bob Stewart, Reg (thought to be Ronald Cleeve), Len Madeley
James Kirkwood, George Wigley, Ted Hubbard
Below, L-R:
Ted Hubbard, Bob Stewart, Reg (thought to be Ronald Cleeve), Len Madeley
Kirkwood (right) with friends, possibly crew members
Below: last page of George Wigley's logbook
Below: last page of George Wigley's logbook
The Pathfinder Year - 97 Squadron at Bourn
