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Cenotaph record

Frank Skipworth Kirke

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  • Service number
    • WWII 39864 AWMM
    • WWII NZ39864 AWMM
    • 70547 AWMM
  • Also known as
    Frank Skipwith Kirke AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Air Force AWMM
  • Last rank
  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Frank Skipworth AWMM
  • Surname
    Kirke AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    Frank Skipwith Kirke AWMM
  • Service number
    • WWII 39864 AWMM
    • WWII NZ39864 AWMM
    • 70547 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    10 March 1917 Hanson Hanson
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    WW2 Wellington AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) AWMM
      6 June 1941 AWMM
      "Sergeant Kirke has completed many operations against the enemy as an air observer and his navigation has been of the very highest order. He has always shown the greatest keennes in his work and he has displayed outstanding ability, determination and devotion to duty throughout." AWMM
    • Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) AWMM
      5 June 1942 AWMM
      "On 17th April, Warrant Officer Kirke was a member of the crew of a Lancaster aircraft which took part in a daring daylight attack on Augsburg, involving a flight of 1,000 miles across enemy territory. Soon after crossing the enemy's coast their aircraft was damaged in a running fight with 25 to 30 fighters. Despite this they pressed on until the target area was reached. In the face of fierce and accurate anti-aircraft fire which further damaged the bomber and set it on fire the bombs were released on the objective. The task accomplished, it was necessary to make a forced landing in a field some two miles distant. In the most harassing circumstances this very gallant airman displayed great fortitude and skill which has set a magnificent example."" After returning to New Zealand after the War, Frank served for a short period as an Air Traffic Control instructor, as the flying control officer at RNZAF Base Wigram, near Christchurch, and with No.5 (NZ) Squadron flying Catalina flying boats out of Fiji. He was still serving with the RNZAF Headquarters Unit as a Flight Sergeant Supply Supervisor, at Shelly Bay Wellington in 1957 when he fell ill. He sadly passed away at Hutt Public Hospital of natural causes on 13 December, aged just 40 years old. " AWMM
    • War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
    • New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
    • WW2 POW - Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany WO 416 National Archives
      Apr 1942 AWMM
    • WW2 POW - Stalag 357, Oerbke, Lower Saxony, Germany WO 392, German and Germany Occupied Territories, Air Forces
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number
    WWII 165 AWMM

Medical history

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  • Medical notes

Last known rank

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  • Last rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

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Death

About death

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  • Death
    13 December 1957 Hanson
    Lower Hutt, Wellington Hanson
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Karori Cemetery Wellington New Zealand AWMM Soldiers Plot/O/4/24 AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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