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| Name: |
Keith Logan "Grid" Caldwell |
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| Country: |
New Zealand |
| Rank: |
Major |
| Service: |
Royal Flying Corps |
| Units: |
8, 60, 74 |
| Victories: |
25 |
| Born: |
16 October 1895 |
| Place of Birth: |
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Wellington, New Zealand |
| Died: |
28 November 1980 |
| Place of Death: |
New Zealand |
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The son of D. R. Caldwell, Keith Logan Caldwell was a talented pilot who began the war in the New Zealand Territorial Infantry. Having already learned to fly, he traveled to England to join the Royal Flying Corps in April 1916. Following flight training, he was posted to 8 Squadron in France on 29 July 1916. After scoring his first victory with a B.E.2d, he was reassigned to 60 Squadron in November 1916. By September 1917, "Grid" downed seven enemy aircraft with Nieuport Scouts, then began flying the S.E.5a with which he scored his ninth victory on 15 September. Returning to England in October, he served as an instructor before returning to France in April 1918 as commanding officer of 74 Squadron. Before the war was over, Caldwell survived a mid-air collision and scored sixteen more victories. But for his poor marksmanship, some thought that "Grid" might have been one of the highest scoring aces of the war. Caldwell eventually returned to New Zealand where he became a farmer and married the sister of Frederick Stanley Gordon. During World War II, he served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, attained the rank of Air Commodore and became a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (C.B.E.). |
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Auckland Star, Auckland, New Zealand, Volume LXXI, Issue 11, 13 January 1940, Page 7
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| Military Cross (MC) |
2nd Lt. (T./Capt.) Keith Logan Caldwell, R.F.C., Spec. Res.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when leading offensive patrols. On one occasion he led a patrol of five machines against twelve hostile aircraft, all of which he drove down out of control. He has personally destroyed five hostile machines, and has had over fifty contests in the air, in all of which he has displayed splendid skill and fearlessness, and has set an excellent example to his squadron.
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| Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) |
Capt. (A./Maj.) Keith Logan Caldwell, M.C. (FRANCE)
A fine fighting airman of courage and determination. On 4th September, when on offensive patrol, he, in company with another machine, attacked four Fokker biplanes; one of these was driven down by this officer. He has accounted for five enemy machines.
(M.C. gazetted 17th September, 1917.)
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| Victories |
|
Date |
Time |
Unit |
Aircraft |
Opponent |
Location |
| 1 |
18 Sep 1916 |
1930 |
8 |
B.E.2d (5735) 1 |
Roland C.II (DES) |
Grevillers-Bucquoy |
| 2 |
11 Dec 1916 |
1030 |
60 |
Nieuport |
Albatros C (CAP) 2 |
Dainville |
| 3 |
14 Jun 1917 |
0955 |
60 |
Nieuport (B1654) |
Albatros D.III (OOC) |
Drocourt |
| 4 |
16 Jun 1917 |
2020 |
60 |
Nieuport (B1654) |
Albatros D.III (DES) 3 |
Vitry |
| 5 |
24 Jun 1917 |
2010 |
60 |
Nieuport (B1654) |
Albatros D.III (DES) |
Douai |
| 6 |
24 Jun 1917 |
2010 |
60 |
Nieuport (B1654) |
Albatros D.III (OOC) 4 |
Douai |
| 7 |
03 Jul 1917 |
1750 |
60 |
Nieuport (B1654) |
Albatros D.III (OOC) |
Graincourt |
| 8 |
15 Jul 1917 |
1950 |
60 |
Nieuport (B1654) |
Albatros D.III (DES) 5 |
Vitry |
| 9 |
15 Sep 1917 |
1600 |
60 |
S.E.5a (B534) |
Albatros C (DES) |
St. Julien |
| 10 |
12 Apr 1918 |
1935 |
74 |
S.E.5a (C5396) |
Albatros D.V (DES) |
SE of Deulemont |
| 11 |
21 May 1918 |
1900 |
74 |
S.E.5a (C5396) |
Pfalz D.III (DES) |
W of Ypres |
| 12 |
28 May 1918 |
1935 |
74 |
S.E.5a (C5396) |
Pfalz D.III (OOC) |
I 36 |
| 13 |
31 May 1918 |
1950 |
74 |
S.E.5a (C5396) |
Pfalz D.III (OOC) |
W of Ploegsteert Wood |
| 14 |
01 Jun 1918 |
1945 |
74 |
S.E.5a (C5396) |
Pfalz D.III (OOC) |
E of Dickebusch |
| 15 |
15 Jul 1918 |
0850 |
74 |
S.E.5a (D6864) |
Fokker D.VII (DES) |
S of Roulers |
| 16 |
29 Jul 1918 |
1945 |
74 |
S.E.5a (D6864) |
Pfalz D.III (OOC) |
E of Dickebusch |
| 17 |
30 Jul 1918 |
1130 |
74 |
S.E.5a (D6864) |
Fokker D.VII (OOC) |
W or Armentières |
| 18 |
23 Aug 1918 |
1925 |
74 |
S.E.5a |
Fokker D.VII (DES) |
SE of Houthoulst Wood |
| 19 |
04 Sep 1918 |
1930 |
74 |
S.E.5a (D6864) |
Fokker D.VII (DES) |
S of Lille |
| 20 |
17 Sep 1918 |
1825 |
74 |
S.E.5a |
Fokker D.VII (DES) |
N of Courtrai |
| 21 |
17 Sep 1918 |
1840 |
74 |
S.E.5a |
Fokker D.VII (OOC) |
NW of Courtrai |
| 22 |
21 Sep 1918 |
1845 |
74 |
S.E.5a |
Fokker D.VII (OOC) |
Lille |
| 23 |
24 Sep 1918 |
1030 |
74 |
S.E.5a |
Siemens-Schuckert D.IV (OOC) |
E of Armentières |
| 24 |
14 Oct 1918 |
1100 |
74 |
S.E.5a (C1139) |
Fokker D.VII (DES) |
Ledgehem |
| 25 |
30 Oct 1918 |
0825 |
74 |
S.E.5a |
Fokker D.VII (DES) |
Quaremont |
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| 1 |
Observer Capt P E Welchman |
| 2 |
Shared with Capt Eustace Grenfell, Lt Henry Meintjes, Lt A P V Daly, Lt A D Whitehead, Lt L S Weedon |
| 3 |
Shared with Lt William Fry, Lt J Collier (B1605) |
| 4 |
Shared with Lt D C G Murray (B1605), Lt A R Adam (B1569) |
| 5 |
Shared with Lt William Jenkins, Lt W B Sherwood (B1605) |
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Keith Caldwell Great War Story