Keith Logan Caldwell
Born 16 Oct 1895 - Died 28 Nov 1980
- Service number
- WWI 1122 AWMM
- WWII 1075 AWMM
- Also known as
- Grid AWMM
- Last rank
- Inter War Major (Squadron Commander)/Military AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 74 Squadron AWMM
- WW2 Air Commodore/Military AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
- WW2 Unknown unit at discharge AWMM
- War
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Keith Logan AWMM
- Surname
- Caldwell AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- Grid AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 1122 AWMM
- WWII 1075 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 16 Oct 1895 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- —
- Post war occupation
- Farmer/Civilian AWMM
- Next of kin
- WW1 Mr D.R. Caldwell (father), Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- —
Wars and conflicts
- War
- Campaign
- —
- Service number
- WWI 1122 AWMM
- WWII 1075 AWMM
- Military service
- New Zealand territorial air force AWMM
- Royal Flying Corps, 60 Squadron AWMM
- Royal Air Force, No. 74 Squadron AWMM
- Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
- Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
- During WW11 he was the OC of No 2 Service Flying Training School and later the CO of RNZAF WigramPublic - Stoney - Researcher - 8 August 2020 - By Such Deeds; Hanson; p111
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Military Cross (MC) AWMM
Military Cross citation, Supplement to the London Gazette, 17 September 1917: 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. AWMM - Distinguished Flying Cross and bar (DFC*) AWMM
Distinguished Flying Cross citation, Supplement to the London Gazette, 3 December 1918: 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. AWMM - Croix de Guerre (Belgium) AWMM
- Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) Twice AWMM
- Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) AWMM
- War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
- New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
- Efficiency Decoration (ED) AWMM
- Military Cross (MC) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW2 Banker/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 Lieutenant/Military AWMM Royal Air Force, No. 8 Squadron AWMM Royal Flying Corps AWMM
- WW2 Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
2nd Embarkation AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- —
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Inter War 1919 AWMM Major (Squadron Commander)/Military AWMM
Royal Air Force, No. 74 Squadron AWMM - WW2 1956 AWMM Air Commodore/Military AWMM
Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM - WW2 2nd Embarkation AWMM Unknown unit at discharge AWMM
- Inter War 1919 AWMM Major (Squadron Commander)/Military AWMM
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Husband of Dorothy Helen Gordon.
Most successful New Zealand fighter pilot of the First World War with 25 victories in aerial combat
A graduate of the first course of the Walsh brothers' flying school
Auckland War Memorial Museum Scars on the Heart World War 1 "Flying Aces" display. Display item is a Spandau Aircooled Machine-gun which Keith Caldwell took from a German Fokker D VII aircraft AWMM - BRAVE AUCKLAND AIRMAN
BROUGHT DOWN 24 GERMANS. MAJOR CALDWELL'S EXPLOITS.
"The New Zealand Ace" is the title gained by Major Keith L. Caldwell, M.C., D.F.C. and Bar, the only son of Mr D. R. Caldwell, of Auckland (says the New Zealand Herald). Major Caldwell has had many thrilling adventures at the front. He gained his M.C. for bringing down the first live enemy machines, and altogether is officially credited with the destruction of 21 machines, while three others were seen descending out of control, but were not officially recognised as bagged. He had a rather exciting experience a few weeks before the signing of the armistice, and it was only by a narrow margin he escaped death. He was flying over "No Man's Land" when he met in collision Flight commander Carlin, whose machine's tail was torn off. Carlin landed behind the lines safely, but Major Caldwell was not so fortunate, for the wing of his machine was torn off, and it was only his quick resource which saved his life. He managed to get off his seat and balance himself oil the remaining struts of the wing in an attempt to maintain the aeroplane's equilibrium. He was rushed earthward at the rate of about 140 miles an hour, and he finally landed just behind the British lines his machine being dashed to pieces, while he himself avoided disaster only by jumping to earth at an opportune moment.
During his service he had been six times shot down by hostile machines, but on each occasion managed to land within the lines and escape practically unhurt.
On one occasion his aggressor was a German named Voss, a crack airman, who was born in Australia. On a later occasion he had the satisfaction of seeing his victor brought down in .flames.
One of his most perilous adventures was when, with five comrades, he was engaged by 21 Germans 10 miles behind the enemy lines. The fight began at a height of 17,000ft, and concluded at 6000 ft.
On this occasion Carlin, after doing- some particularly fine fighting, was sent crashing to the earth, where he was made a captive. Several enemy machines were destroyed and the four remaining intrepid Britishers] after a nerve-racking fight against overwhelming odds, managed to reach the British lines with their machines practically in ribbons.
Again he was in a fight in which five British machines tackled eight enemy planes of which they accounted for seven.
Major Caldwell arrived in Sydney by the Bremen, and is now awaiting transport to New Zealand. He was one of the first pupils to graduate at the New Zealand Flying School at Kohirmarama. "Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 6 September 2015 - National Library of New Zealand; Paperspast portal; http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=ODT19190809.2.27&e=-------10--1----0--
- Husband of Dorothy Helen Gordon.
About death
- Death
- 28 Nov 1980 AWMM
Age 85 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- —
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- —
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- —
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.
http://www.dnzb.govt.nz
Sources Used - Military Personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R21891151
Further Reference - Base Records file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R20799020
Further Reference - Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Essay.
http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/DNZB/alt_essayBody.asp?essayID=3C1
Further Reference - Profile and photographs. Wings Over Cambridge.
http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Keith%20Caldwell.htm
Further Reference - Wikidata Entity
http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q6384163
Further Reference
- Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.
- References
- Studholme, J. (1928). New Zealand Expeditionary Force record of personal services during the war of officers, nurses, and first-class warrant officers, and other facts relating to the N.Z.E.F. : unofficial but based on official records. Wellington, N.Z.: Government Printer.
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- Harper, G., Clements, C., & Johns., R. (2019). For King and Other Countries: The New Zealanders Who Fought in Other Services in the First World War. Auckland, New Zealand: Massey University Press.
- Royal New Zealand Air Force. (1941–1945). Contact: National magazine of the R.N.Z.A.F.; the official organ of the Air Force Association (Inc.). Levin, New Zealand: Royal New Zealand Air Force.
V1,n10,p10,11, V7,n2,p68, v7,n6,p46,47,48
The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.
Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.