P/O Ian Clark Kirk

[Dave Homewood]

Was Pilot Officer Ian Clark Kirk, who was born in Auckland on 16 Nov 1914, a member of the RNZAF? Or was he RAF?

He was shot down in a No. 144 Squadron Handley Page Hampden, P4370, and became a POW on the 2nd of September 1940. He was sent to Stalag Luft III at Sagan, and was part of the tunnelling organisation in the Great Escape, his role being to dispose of the soil coming out of the tunnels.

I have only just found of about him. He was the Great Uncle of one of my fellow R1/89 Recruit Course members, Wolfgang Hill. Wolfie just saw my post today about the Great Escape, and told me about him. He does not know much so I told him I'd try to find out more.

[errolmartyn]

Mar 25, 2024 15:42:18 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Was Pilot Officer Ian Clark Kirk, who was born in Auckland on 16 Nov 1914, a member of the RNZAF? Or was he RAF?

He was shot down in a No. 144 Squadron Handley Page Hampden, P4370, and became a POW on the 2nd of September 1940. He was sent to Stalag Luft III at Sagan, and was part of the tunnelling organisation in the Great Escape, his role being to dispose of the soil coming out of the tunnels.

I have only just found of about him. He was the Great Uncle of one of my fellow R1/89 Recruit Course members, Wolfgang Hill. Wolfie just saw my post today about the Great Escape, and told me about him. He does not know much so I told him I'd try to find out more.

Some notes by me and the late Colin Hanson:

Mon 2/Tue 3 Sep 1940
Bomber Command – 144 Squadron, RAF (Hemswell, Lincolnshire – 5 Group)
Hampden I P4370 PL-? – took off at ?
KIRK, Squadron Leader Ian Clark.
RAF42714. Born Auckland, 16 Nov 1914. RAF 24 Jul 1939 to 24 Aug 1947. Pilot. Shot down 2 Sep 1940 with 144 Sqn RAF (Hampden) returning from a raid on Mannheim during which he acted as navigator. No other PoW papers on file. Safe UK 15 May 1945.
Sqn Ldr Kirk then went on to serve in SEAC and with BCAIR, Japan. Official History records his capture: "It was about midnight and we were flying at about 11,000 feet between Leige and Maastricht when the aircraft was suddenly caught in the beams of many searchlights. Before our pilot could dive clear we were attacked by a Messerschmitt night fighter. The first bursts put our gunners out of action, both mortally wounded, a second attack smashed the controls and set the port engine and fuel tanks on fire. I was wounded in the head and momentarily dazed. On coming-to I tried the intercom, but got no reply. Attempted to crawl up to help the pilot thinking he was wounded or dead. Found this impossible even though I used all my strength against what seemed like a mass of twisted metal and broken wires. The Hampden was now lurching wildly so groping my way to the escape hatch I dived out. The air seemed buoyant and as I slowed down I saw the Hampden crash and burst into flames. Unknown to me the captain had been thrown out. He had no recollection of pulling his rip-cord only of landing in a ploughed field with his chute opened enough to break his fall. My own had opened and I landed in a tree. Scrambling down I threw my gear under a bridge and, failing to find any sign of the others, optimistically set off westward, steering my the stars. Just before dawn a Dutch farmer caught up with me as I limped along. He took me to his home but just as I was about to wash the blood from my head a German patrol surprised us and took me prisoner."

Errol

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Errol, much appreciated.

[Antonio]

Also from the Aviation Safety Net: P4370: PL-L 

"Handley Page Hampden Mk.I P4370 (PL-L) of 144 Squadron, RAF. Lost on combat operations on night of 2-3/9/1940. Took off from RAF Hemswell at 21.52 hours for an operation to Ludwigshafen am Rhein in Germany. Crashed at 00:45 hours on the morning of 3/9/1940 after being coned by searchlights & attacked by night fighter pilot Feldwebel Paul Gildner of the 3./NJG 1, who was probably flying a Bf 109.
Aircraft came down between Nuth and Wijnandsrade/Laar, Limburg, Netherlands. Two of the crew of four were killed, the other two survived to be taken PoW:

Crew:-
Pilot : Pilot Officer Richard Sydney Albion Churchill RAF 41225 [PoW]
2nd Pilot : Pilot Officer Ian Clark Kirk RAF 42714 : Commission Gazetted Tuesday 03 October, 1939) [PoW]
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner : Sergeant Albert Eric Walker RAF 615619 [Killed]
Rear Gunner : Sergeant Anthony Charles Henry Edmeads RAFVR 751841 [Killed]

P/O Churchill participated in the Great Escape, and survived.

The two crew fatalities were buried at Maastricht General Cemetary"