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R.A.F. 72526 Pilot Officer Kenneth KIRKCALDIE (surname underlined)
Widow Mrs. E.M. Gray of London, England (remarried)

Kenneth Kirkcaldie son of Mrs. K. Kirkcaldie of Wellington, was born in Wellington on the 18th December 1911. While in England in 1938 he applied for a short service commission in the Royal Air Force. His application was successful and on the 20th December, 1938 he was granted a commission as a Pilot Officer, in the Royal Air Force, Volunteer Reserve and posted to the University of London Air Squadron commencing his flying training with this squadron at the aerodrome at Northolt, Middlesex. While with this squadron he was awarded his flying badge. He remained with the University of London Squadron until the 18th September, 1939, when he was posted to No. 11 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School, Perth, Scotland for a flying instructor's course. Following this, he was posted on the 2nd January, 1940 to the Royal Air Force, College Flying Training School, Cranwell, for flying training duties. His next posting was on the 20th April, 1940 to No. 6 Group Headquarters, Abingdon, Berkshire, as a staff pilot and on the 18th May he was posted to No. 32 Squadron, Biggin Hill, Kent, and commenced operational flying.

On the 8th June, 1940 Pilot Officer Kirkcaldie was pilot of a Hurricane fighter aircraft engaged on an offensive patrol over France. Enemy aircraft were encountered and when Pilot Officer Kirkcaldie's aircraft failed to return to its base, he was classified as missing. Later, information was received from a French source that Pilot Officer Kirkcaldie had been killed when his aircraft crashed at LaGanerre, near Houville, and in due course his death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 8th June, 1940, as the result of air operations. Later still it was learned that he had been buried in the Houville Communal Cemetery, France.

Pilot Officer Kirkcaldie's brother, Pilot Officer J.A. Kirkcaldie, also served in the Air Force during World War II.

Find a Grave link with photos of Pilot Officer Kenneth Kirkcaldie: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67205312/kenneth-kirkcaldie
Find a Grave link with photos of Pilot Officer J.A. Kirkcaldie: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145331082/john_allan_kirkcaldie

4/9/432 AS2.
240 Hours as Pilot.

(redacted Mrs. K. Kirkcaldie (M)) (right aligned)
Mrs. A. Warmington (S) (right aligned)
1 Sefton Street (right aligned)
Wadestown, (right aligned)
WELLINGTON. (right aligned & underlined)