Kenneth Gill - service history
Title
Kenneth Gill - service history
Description
Joined 18 June 1941. Trained as navigator in Canada. After operational and conversions training in England during which he flew two operations. He was posted to 9 Squadron at RAF Bardney where he flew 25 operations which are listed. After a tour as a navigator instructor, he went to 617 Squadron and flew 19 further operations and was killed along with his crew on the last. Operations on 617 listed.
Temporal Coverage
Spatial Coverage
Language
Format
Five page printed document
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
Identifier
SGillK1438901v40007
Transcription
FLYING OFFICER KENNETH GILL D.F.C. C.d.G JOINED THE ROYAL AIR FORCE AS A VOLUNTEER RESERVE ON 18 JUNE 1941.
HE WAS SHIPPED OUT TO CANADA, AFTER BASIC TRAINING, AS A PILOT OBSERVER AND QUALIFIED AS AIR NAVIGATOR WITH EFFECT FROM 11 SEPT 42, HAVING COMPLETED A TOTAL OF 104hrs 40mins FLYING TIME (65-30 DAY & 39-10 NIGHT)
ON RETURNING TO THE U.K HE WAS POSTED TO No 29 OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT AT R.A.F STATION N. LUFFENHAM, FLYING WITH F/LT DERBYSHIRE (PILOT) ON WELLINGTONS.
ON THE 25 FEB 1943 HE TOOK PART IN HIS FIRST OPERATIONAL RAID [AFTER 51hrs 40mins TRAINING (33hrs 15min DAY AND 18hrs 25mins NIGHT)]. THIS WAS TO CLERMONT FERRAND (FRANCE), TAKING OFF AT 19-34 AND RETURNING 7hrs LATER. (PILOT F/LT DERBYSHIRE).
DURING MARCH 1943 HE WAS POSTED TO 1660 CONVERSION UNIT AT R.A.F SWINDERBY WHERE HE FLEW HALIFAX ‘V’ AND THEN CONVERTED TO LANCASTERS.
ON THE 18 APRIL 43 HIS SECOND OPERATIONAL RAID TOOK PLACE, FLYING TO SPEZIA IN ITALY (MINE LAYING 9hrs 30mins, PILOT F/LT EVANS).
[page break]
ON 20 APRIL 1943 F/O GILL WAS POSTED TO No 9 SQUADRON AT R.A.F. STATION BARDNEY ALONG WITH F/LT DERBYSHIRE WHERE HE TOOK PART IN THE FOLLOWING RAIDS :-
[a] DATE [b] PILOT [c] TARGET [d] TIME
[a] 04/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] DORTMUND [d] 5-55
[a] 11/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] DUISBERG [d] 4-45
[a] 23/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] DORTMUND [d] 5-10
[a] 25/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] DUSSELDORF [d] 5-20
[a] 27/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] ESSEN [d] 5-30
[a] 29/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] WUPPERTAL [d] 5-45
[a] 11/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] DUSSELDORF [d] 4-35
[a] 12/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] BOCHUM [d] 5-25
[a] 14/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] OBERHAUSEN [d] 4-40
[a] 21/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] KREFELD [d] 4-25
[a] 25/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] GELSENKIRCHEN [d] 5-20
[a] 28/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] COLOGNE [d] 4-25
[a] 07/07/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] COLOGNE [d] 6-00
[a] 25/07/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] ESSEN [d] 4-45
[a] 07/08/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] MILAN [d] 8-20
[a] 10/08/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] NURNBERG [d] 7-25
[a] 27/08/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] NURNBERG [d] 7-30
[a] 30/08/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] RHEYDT [d] 4-55
[a] 03/09/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] BERLIN [d] 8-05
[a] 06/09/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] MUNICH [d] 8-05
[a] 03/10/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] KASSEL [d] 6-05
[a] 04/10/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] FRANKFURT [d] 6-35
[a] 20/10/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] LEIPZIG [d] 7-10
[page break]
[a] DATE [b] PILOT [c] TARGET [d] TIME
[a] 03/11/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] DUSSELDORF [d] 4-25
[a] 18/11/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] BERLIN [d] 7-35
F/O GILL TRANSFERRED TO 5 L.F.S R.A.F STATION SYERSTON AS A NAVIGATION INSTRUCTOR ON 14 DECEMBER 1943 UNTIL 27 SEPTEMBER 1944.
ON 28 SEPTEMBER 1944 F/O GILL AND F/LT GUMBLEY (PILOT) JOINED No 617 SQUADRON R.A.F STATION WOODHALL SPA.
[a] 29/10/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] TIRPITZ [d] 12-00
ATTACK ABORTED TALLBOY RETURNED, LEFT WOODHALL ON 28/10/44 09-33 TO LOSSIEMOUTH, LEFT LOSSIEMOUTH 29/10/44 AT 02-10 TO TROMSO AND THEN SKATSKA [deleted word], RE-FUELLING AND RETURNING TO LOSSIEMOUTH AND THEN WOODHALL 30/10/44 14-29hrs.
[a] 04/11/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] LOSSIEMOUTH,
TIRPITZ ATTACK ABORTED DUE TO BAD WEATHER.
[a] 11/11/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] LOSSIEMOUTH [d] 1-55
[a]12/11/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] TROMSO FIORD [d] 12-15
TIRPITZ SUNK
[a] 13/11/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] WOODHALL [d] 1-40
[a] 08/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] URFT DAM [d] 3-35
TALLBOY FROM 7500FT
[a] 11/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] URFT DAM [d] 5-30
TALLBOY 6000FT DAM TOP REDUCED BY 13 FT
[a] 15/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] IJMUIDEN [d] 2-35
E & R BOAT PENS TALLBOY 10000FT
[a] 21/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] POLITZ [d] 9-45
OIL REFINERIES TALLBOY 16900FT
[page break]
[a] DATE [b] PILOT [c] TARGET [d] TIME
[a] 29/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] ROTTERDAM [d] 2-50
E & R BOAT PENS TALLBOY 15300FT
[a] 30/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] IJMUIDEN [d] 2-20
E & R BOAT PENS TALLBOY 14200FT
[a] 31/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] HORTEN [d] 7-45
OSLO FIORD GERMAN CRUISERS “KOLN” AND “EMDEN” TALLBOY 10200FT
[a] 02/01/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] DUMMY RUNS, HLB WAINFLEET GAGGLE PRACTICE ETC TO 30/01/45
[a] 03/02/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] POOTERSHAVEN [d] 2-50
HOLLAND E & R BOAT PENS TALLBOY 13200FT
AIRCRAFT HIT BY FLAK
[a] 06/02/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BIELEFELD [d] 5-45
VIELESIBLE VIADUCT ABORTED CLOUD
[a] 14/02/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BIELEFELD [d] 4-50
VIELESIBLE VIADUCT ABORTED CLOUD
[a] 22/02/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BIELEFELD [d] 4-30
VIELESIBLE VIADUCT ABORTED CLOUD
[a] 24/02/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] DORTMUND-EMS CANAL [d] 4-40
LADBERGEN ABORTED 10/10 CLOUD
[a] 13/03/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BIELEFELD [d] 4-20
VIELESIBLE VIADUCT ABORTED CLOUD
[a] 14/03/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BIELEFELD [d] 5-00
VIELESIBLE VIADUCT DESTROYED
[a] 19/03/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] ARNSBERG [d] 5-20
GRAND SLAM DROPPED ON VIADUCT
[a] 21/03/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BREMEN [d] 2-10
ARBERGEN RAILWAY BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER WESER, NEAR NIENBURG. LANCASTER HIT BY FLAK IN THE TARGET AREA AND WENT DOWN
[page break]
A FARMER AND THE BURGERMEISTER OF OKEL, SAW THE AIRCRAFT CRASH AT ABOUT 11-00hrs APPROXIMATELY 300 METRES FROM HAUSLENGSHAUS ONE KILOMETRE FROM OKEL. THE BURGERMEISTER DESCRIBED THE EXPLOSION AS UNBELIEVABLE, CAUSING A CRATER 10 METRES DEEP.
ALL THE CREW WERE KILLED INSTANTLY.
TOTAL FLYING TIME FOR F/O KENNETH GILL WAS 400-45 DAY TIME AND 279-15 NIGHT TIME GIVING A GRAND TOTAL OF 680 HOURS.
HE WAS SHIPPED OUT TO CANADA, AFTER BASIC TRAINING, AS A PILOT OBSERVER AND QUALIFIED AS AIR NAVIGATOR WITH EFFECT FROM 11 SEPT 42, HAVING COMPLETED A TOTAL OF 104hrs 40mins FLYING TIME (65-30 DAY & 39-10 NIGHT)
ON RETURNING TO THE U.K HE WAS POSTED TO No 29 OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT AT R.A.F STATION N. LUFFENHAM, FLYING WITH F/LT DERBYSHIRE (PILOT) ON WELLINGTONS.
ON THE 25 FEB 1943 HE TOOK PART IN HIS FIRST OPERATIONAL RAID [AFTER 51hrs 40mins TRAINING (33hrs 15min DAY AND 18hrs 25mins NIGHT)]. THIS WAS TO CLERMONT FERRAND (FRANCE), TAKING OFF AT 19-34 AND RETURNING 7hrs LATER. (PILOT F/LT DERBYSHIRE).
DURING MARCH 1943 HE WAS POSTED TO 1660 CONVERSION UNIT AT R.A.F SWINDERBY WHERE HE FLEW HALIFAX ‘V’ AND THEN CONVERTED TO LANCASTERS.
ON THE 18 APRIL 43 HIS SECOND OPERATIONAL RAID TOOK PLACE, FLYING TO SPEZIA IN ITALY (MINE LAYING 9hrs 30mins, PILOT F/LT EVANS).
[page break]
ON 20 APRIL 1943 F/O GILL WAS POSTED TO No 9 SQUADRON AT R.A.F. STATION BARDNEY ALONG WITH F/LT DERBYSHIRE WHERE HE TOOK PART IN THE FOLLOWING RAIDS :-
[a] DATE [b] PILOT [c] TARGET [d] TIME
[a] 04/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] DORTMUND [d] 5-55
[a] 11/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] DUISBERG [d] 4-45
[a] 23/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] DORTMUND [d] 5-10
[a] 25/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] DUSSELDORF [d] 5-20
[a] 27/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] ESSEN [d] 5-30
[a] 29/05/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] WUPPERTAL [d] 5-45
[a] 11/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] DUSSELDORF [d] 4-35
[a] 12/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] BOCHUM [d] 5-25
[a] 14/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] OBERHAUSEN [d] 4-40
[a] 21/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] KREFELD [d] 4-25
[a] 25/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] GELSENKIRCHEN [d] 5-20
[a] 28/06/43 [b] F/LT DERBYSHIRE [c] COLOGNE [d] 4-25
[a] 07/07/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] COLOGNE [d] 6-00
[a] 25/07/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] ESSEN [d] 4-45
[a] 07/08/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] MILAN [d] 8-20
[a] 10/08/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] NURNBERG [d] 7-25
[a] 27/08/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] NURNBERG [d] 7-30
[a] 30/08/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] RHEYDT [d] 4-55
[a] 03/09/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] BERLIN [d] 8-05
[a] 06/09/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] MUNICH [d] 8-05
[a] 03/10/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] KASSEL [d] 6-05
[a] 04/10/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] FRANKFURT [d] 6-35
[a] 20/10/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] LEIPZIG [d] 7-10
[page break]
[a] DATE [b] PILOT [c] TARGET [d] TIME
[a] 03/11/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] DUSSELDORF [d] 4-25
[a] 18/11/43 [b] S/LDR DERBYSHIRE [c] BERLIN [d] 7-35
F/O GILL TRANSFERRED TO 5 L.F.S R.A.F STATION SYERSTON AS A NAVIGATION INSTRUCTOR ON 14 DECEMBER 1943 UNTIL 27 SEPTEMBER 1944.
ON 28 SEPTEMBER 1944 F/O GILL AND F/LT GUMBLEY (PILOT) JOINED No 617 SQUADRON R.A.F STATION WOODHALL SPA.
[a] 29/10/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] TIRPITZ [d] 12-00
ATTACK ABORTED TALLBOY RETURNED, LEFT WOODHALL ON 28/10/44 09-33 TO LOSSIEMOUTH, LEFT LOSSIEMOUTH 29/10/44 AT 02-10 TO TROMSO AND THEN SKATSKA [deleted word], RE-FUELLING AND RETURNING TO LOSSIEMOUTH AND THEN WOODHALL 30/10/44 14-29hrs.
[a] 04/11/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] LOSSIEMOUTH,
TIRPITZ ATTACK ABORTED DUE TO BAD WEATHER.
[a] 11/11/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] LOSSIEMOUTH [d] 1-55
[a]12/11/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] TROMSO FIORD [d] 12-15
TIRPITZ SUNK
[a] 13/11/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] WOODHALL [d] 1-40
[a] 08/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] URFT DAM [d] 3-35
TALLBOY FROM 7500FT
[a] 11/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] URFT DAM [d] 5-30
TALLBOY 6000FT DAM TOP REDUCED BY 13 FT
[a] 15/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] IJMUIDEN [d] 2-35
E & R BOAT PENS TALLBOY 10000FT
[a] 21/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] POLITZ [d] 9-45
OIL REFINERIES TALLBOY 16900FT
[page break]
[a] DATE [b] PILOT [c] TARGET [d] TIME
[a] 29/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] ROTTERDAM [d] 2-50
E & R BOAT PENS TALLBOY 15300FT
[a] 30/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] IJMUIDEN [d] 2-20
E & R BOAT PENS TALLBOY 14200FT
[a] 31/12/44 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] HORTEN [d] 7-45
OSLO FIORD GERMAN CRUISERS “KOLN” AND “EMDEN” TALLBOY 10200FT
[a] 02/01/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] DUMMY RUNS, HLB WAINFLEET GAGGLE PRACTICE ETC TO 30/01/45
[a] 03/02/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] POOTERSHAVEN [d] 2-50
HOLLAND E & R BOAT PENS TALLBOY 13200FT
AIRCRAFT HIT BY FLAK
[a] 06/02/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BIELEFELD [d] 5-45
VIELESIBLE VIADUCT ABORTED CLOUD
[a] 14/02/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BIELEFELD [d] 4-50
VIELESIBLE VIADUCT ABORTED CLOUD
[a] 22/02/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BIELEFELD [d] 4-30
VIELESIBLE VIADUCT ABORTED CLOUD
[a] 24/02/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] DORTMUND-EMS CANAL [d] 4-40
LADBERGEN ABORTED 10/10 CLOUD
[a] 13/03/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BIELEFELD [d] 4-20
VIELESIBLE VIADUCT ABORTED CLOUD
[a] 14/03/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BIELEFELD [d] 5-00
VIELESIBLE VIADUCT DESTROYED
[a] 19/03/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] ARNSBERG [d] 5-20
GRAND SLAM DROPPED ON VIADUCT
[a] 21/03/45 [b] F/LT GUMBLEY [c] BREMEN [d] 2-10
ARBERGEN RAILWAY BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER WESER, NEAR NIENBURG. LANCASTER HIT BY FLAK IN THE TARGET AREA AND WENT DOWN
[page break]
A FARMER AND THE BURGERMEISTER OF OKEL, SAW THE AIRCRAFT CRASH AT ABOUT 11-00hrs APPROXIMATELY 300 METRES FROM HAUSLENGSHAUS ONE KILOMETRE FROM OKEL. THE BURGERMEISTER DESCRIBED THE EXPLOSION AS UNBELIEVABLE, CAUSING A CRATER 10 METRES DEEP.
ALL THE CREW WERE KILLED INSTANTLY.
TOTAL FLYING TIME FOR F/O KENNETH GILL WAS 400-45 DAY TIME AND 279-15 NIGHT TIME GIVING A GRAND TOTAL OF 680 HOURS.
Collection
Citation
“Kenneth Gill - service history,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed June 15, 2025, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/collections/document/35931.