Samuel Kinkead

Infobox Military Person
name=Samuel Kinkead


caption=
born=25 February 1897
died=12 March 1928
placeofbirth=Johannesburg, South Africa
placeofdeath=Calshot, England
placeofburial=
placeofburial_label=
nickname=Kink
allegiance=
branch=Royal Naval Air Service
serviceyears=
rank=Captain
unit=
commands=
battles=World War I
awards= with Bar
relations=
laterwork=

Samuel Marcus Kinkead DSO, DSC with Bar, DFC with Bar, (25 February 1897 - 12 March 1928) was a South African fighter ace Captain with 33 victories during World War I. He went on to serve in southern Russia and the Middle East postwar. [ [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/safrica/kinkead.php Samuel Kinkhead Biography] ]

Early Life

Kinkead was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, [ [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/safrica/kinkead.php Samuel Kinkhead Biography] ] to an Irish father and Scottish mother who had recently emigrated to South Africa. He was the second son, with an elder brother named Thompson Calder Kinkead, born circa 1893.

Samuel Kinkead joined the Royal Naval Air Service in September, 1915. He took pilot training at Eastbourne in South Africa. He earned his wings by the end of 1915.

World War I Active Service

Samuel Kinkead served in Wing 3 during the Battle of Gallipoli. While flying a Bristol Scout, he shot down a Fokker on 11 August 1916. He also scored on 28 August 1916 while flying a Nieuport, and was credited with a third victory while flying a Nieuport.

He fell ill with a serious case of malaria and was shipped home to convalesce. Upon recovery, he was forwarded to England, where his older brother Thompson was training as an observer in the Royal Flying Corps. While on his second solo flight on 3 September 1917, Thompson died in a crash at Shoreham. Samuel signed for his deceased brother's personal effects.

Samuel Kinkead was assigned to 1 Naval Squadron to fly Nieuports on the Western Front. Exactly two weeks after his brother's death, on 17 September 1917, he drove down a DFW C out of control. A month later, he repeated the feat to become an ace. He went on to claim three more triumphs in October.

In November and December of 1917, he downed three planes each. In mid November, he switched 'birds' to fly a Sopwith Camel, the type of plane he would fly through war's end. Then, with his tally at 14, he went on hiatus for three months. During this time, on 22 February, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

In March, 1918, he started accumulating victories by ones and twos, finishing up May with his total at 26. Most of the time, he drove enemy craft out of the fight; he reported few destroyed. However, he received a Bar in lieu of a second DSC on 26 April 1918. Then, on 30 May, he broke his string again, this time for two months.

He scored on each of the last three days of July, and four times in August, bringing his total to 33. He had become the leading ace out of the 18 in his squadron, now renumbered 201 Squadron when it was folded into the newly formed Royal Air Force. On 3 August, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Kinkead was then transferred to 47 Squadron, which had been posted to Salonika in September, 1916. On 7 October 1918, he was victorious over a Nieuport at Dubouka. On the 18th, he scored his final victory of World War I at Feskouatka.

On 3 November, he was awarded a bar to his DFC.

Out of the victories whose details are recorded, Kinkead put down 23 enemy planes out of control, 20 of them by himself. He destroyed four, and shared in the destruction of another by several pilots. On another occasion, he teamed up with another pilot to send a Pfalz D.III down in flames.

Post World War I

Kinkead volunteered to serve with 47 Squadron after war's end, when they were sent into Russia to intercede in the Russian Civil War. He served as B Flight Commander under Raymond Collishaw. The squadron operated from an equipped train, a la Richthofen's Flying Circus. It was while supporting General Denikin's Royalists that he won the Distinguished Service Order for a crucial ground attack sortie against Bolshevik cavalry. During this time, he also shot down two Russian fighters and survived being shot down himself.

Death

In 1928, while a member of one of the Schneider Trophy teams, Kinkead was killed in a plane crash as he tried to attempt to become the first man to travel at more than five miles a minute [ [http://www.julianlewis.net/local_news_detail.php?id=32 THE AIR ACE ON THE WATERSIDE] ] in a Supermarine S.5 near Calshot England. [ [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/safrica/kinkead.php Samuel Kinkhead Biography] ] The S-5 was the prototype for the Spitfire.

Awards

Distinguished Service Cross

[ [http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/safrica/kinkead.php List of Samuel Marcus Kinkhead's Awards] ] Flt.-Lieut. Samuel Marcus Kinkead, R.N.A.S.

In recognition of the conspicuous gallantry and skill displayed by him in the face of the enemy in aerial combats, notably on the following occasions:On the 24th October, 1917, he brought down an enemy machine, and immediately afterwards encountered and drove off a group of seven hostile aeroplanes. On the 4th December, 1917, he brought down an enemy two-seater machine completely out of control. By his skill and determination in attacking enemy machines he has always shown a fine example to other pilots.

Supplement to the London Gazette, 22 February 1918 (30536/2304)

Distinguished Service Cross Bar

Flt. Lieut. Samuel Marcus Kinkead, D.S.C., R.N.A.S.

For the skill and courage displayed by him as a pilot. On the 22 March 1918, he attacked and drove down out of control an Albatros scout which was attacking a French machine. He has brought down many other enemy machines. He is an exceptionally good pilot, and a clever and plucky fighter, and has performed very fine work, both on offensive patrols and on low flying missions.

Supplement to the London Gazette, 26 April 1918 (30654/5060)

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Lt. (T./Capt.) Samuel Marcus Kinkead, D.S.C.

A skilful and gallant leader, who has attacked enemy formations superior in numbers with marked success. In a recent engagement his patrol flew to the assistance of some of our machines which were greatly outnumbered by the enemy, and succeeded in accounting for three enemy machines and scattered the remainder.

Supplement to the London Gazette, 3 August 1918 (30827/9201)

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) Bar

Lt. (T./Capt.) Samuel Marcus Kinkead, D.S.C., D.F.C.

On a recent date this officer engaged a large party of troops in a wood. The engagement lasted for an hour, but so persistent was his attack that the enemy finally broke and dispersed. During this attack he was harassed by six hostile scouts. Later on he shot down an enemy two-seater in our lines. A bold and daring airman.

Supplement to the London Gazette, 2 November 1918 (30989/12960)

Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Flying Officer Samuel Marcus Kinkead, D.S.C., D.F.C. (late H.L. Inf. and R.N.A.S.), " A " Detachment.

On 12th October, 1919, near Kotluban, this officer led a formation of Camel machines and attacked the Cavalry Division of Dumenko.

By skilful tactics in low flying he dispersed this force, which had turned the left flank of the Caucasian Army, and threatened to jeopardise the whole defence of Tzaritzin.

Flying Officer Kinkead has carried out similar attacks on enemy troops, batteries, camps and transport with great success at considerable personal risk.

Supplement to the London Gazette, 1 April 1920 (31847/4020)

References

Persondata
NAME = Kinkead, Samuel
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = South African WWI ace
DATE OF BIRTH = 25 February 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH = Johannesburg, South Africa
DATE OF DEATH = 12 March 1928
PLACE OF DEATH =