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Auction: 18001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 38

A scarce - and immediate - 1940 Coastal Command D.F.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant P. M. Kinsey, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

During a daylight attack on enemy shipping in Den Helder docks on 8 October 1940, his Blenheim was attacked by three enemy fighters 'which riddled the aircraft with bullets and shells and wounded all members of the crew': Kinsey calmly gave directions to his pilot and operated his guns until the enemy fighters were lost in cloud

He went on to complete 27 sorties in No. 53 Squadron, including anti-shipping strikes, bombing raids and convoy escort patrols, many of them of a perilous daylight nature: flak and enemy fighters were a constant threat and he failed to return from a convoy escort patrol on 7 April 1941

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (755740 Sgt. P. M. Kinsey, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine (4)



D.F.M. London Gazette 12 November 1940. The joint citation - with his pilot - states:

'Pilot Officer Plumtree was the pilot and Sergeant Kinsey the Air Gunner of an aircraft detailed to test a new type of bomb sight during a patrol over the North Sea. At the far end of the patrol, 16 enemy vessels were sighted, eight within the harbour of an enemy port and eight outside. Pilot Officer Plumtree dived from 3,000 to 800 feet to attack the vessels in the harbour in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire. Whilst making his escape he attacked an army camp with machine-gun fire at almost ground level, and then climbed to seek cloud cover out at sea. At this point an attack was made by three Messerschmitts, which riddled the aircraft with bullets and shells and wounded all members of the crew. Sergeant Kinsey held off the enemy and forced one to break off the engagement. Keeping his pilot informed of the position, he operated his gun until the other two were lost in the clouds. In spite of injuries, Pilot Officer Plumtree then brought the aircraft safely back to an aerodrome in England.'

Peter Meredith Kinsey, the son of Samuel and Winifred Alice Kinsey, was born in Portobello, Edinburgh in 1920. Having joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in August 1939, he was immediately called-up and completed his training as an Air Gunner in July 1940, when he was promoted to Sergeant.

No. 53 Squadron - Detling

By September 1940, Kinsey had joined No. 53 Squadron, a Coastal Command Blenheim unit based at R.A.F. Detling. His pilot was Eric Plumtree (later Air Vice-Marshal Plumtree, C.B., O.B.E., D.F.C.) and they flew their first sortie - an SA9 Patrol - on 24 September 1940, an operation that covered an area which ran north-east out over the North Sea from Manston to some 50 miles off Den Helder.

Two further SA9 Patrols were to follow in the same month, in addition to a 'Hookos' patrol on the 26th, when Plumtree and Kinsey reported that they were certain they had been shadowed by another aircraft whilst flying from the Hook of Holland to Ostend.

On the 30th, they were ordered to attack Rotterdam docks, where they faced 'intense A.A. fire and searchlight activity from all round the target'; No. 53 Squadron's Operations Record Book (O.R.B.), refers.

The new month began with a second attack against Rotterdam docks, the O.R.B. again noting heavy flak. Next detailed to attack the oil installations at Walcheren on the 13th, Plumtree and Kinsey had to divert to Zeebrugge owing to cloud cover. They found eight ships anchored there and attacked with three 250lb bombs and 60 4lb incendiaries from 4000 feet: one bomb caused an 'exceedingly heavy explosion'.

Immediate D.F.M.

On the 27 October 1940, Plumtree, Kinsey and their Observer, Sergeant Wood, participated in a risky daylight SA9 Patrol, the purpose of their flight being to try out a new Mk. XI bomb sight:

'Aircraft sighted 14 Motor Vessels (enemy) in position LSMF 5535 and set course to attack, but on emerging from cloud cover the pilot found that he had overshot and was in vicinity of Den Helder where eight Motor Vessels were in docks and eight outside. Two more Motor Vessels were seen tied up in dock and bombed these at 0945 hours. Effect not observed as aircraft had to take avoiding action owing to much flak, but pilot thinks bombs found target. Aircraft then set course for base and saw a large gun or searchlight emplacement near Dutch Coast which was attacked with front machine-gun fire from diving level, and believes some casualties were inflicted. On leaving coast due west of Den Helder aircraft was attacked by three Me.110s, and Rear Gunner replied with three bursts which made one enemy aircraft turn away. Our aircraft was hit by cannon shells on port side and cowling and gills of port engine damaged but armour plating saved crew from serious injury although all were hit by splinters. The wireless transmitter received a direct hit' (ibid).

Plumtree managed to nurse their damaged Blenheim back to Martlesham Heath where, just 48 hours later, he and Kinsey were informed of their immediate awards of a D.F.C. and D.F.M.

Thorney Island

During early November 1940, No. 53 Squadron relocated to R.A.F. Thorney Island, in West Sussex. Here, Kinsey completed a 'Roll 2' patrol with Pilot Officer Newton on the 18th of the month.

After a short break from operations, Kinsey next flew six sorties in Flight Lieutenant Jameson's crew. The first of these - a night operation to Lorient - was flown on the 8 December. This was followed by a shipping strike off Boulogne on 16th, a strike carried out with four 250lb. bombs from just 800 feet: 'Two bursts only were seen, the first was immediately alongside the far most vessel and the last just missed the leading vessel.'

The O.R.B. continues:

'Aircraft turned and flew back on reciprocal course releasing 4 x 20 lb fragmentation bombs two of which were seen to burst in the water alongside one of the vessels. Aircraft few into cloud to avoid flak and returned four minutes later to assess damage. The rear most vessel was listing to port and smoke was seen coming from the deck aft of the funnel of another vessel. Leading vessel had fired five star-red cartridges when aircraft first approached' (ibid).

The new year commenced with an attack on Flushing docks on the night of 1 January 1941, Kinsey's crew obtaining a probable hit on a gas works - 'second flash much bigger than others and lit up underside of aircraft.'

Hit the Hipper

A few days earlier, the German cruiser Admiral Hipper had slipped unseen into Brest for repairs. In early January, however, her presence was picked up by a reconnaissance aircraft, thereby heralding a major - and costly - effort from No. 53 Squadron to destroy her. The first such strike was mounted on 4 January 1941, when nine Blenheims departed Thorney Island at 1530 hours, Kinsey and his crew among them. They were met with heavy opposition on dropping down to 3,000 feet to deliver their bomb loads, Kinsey's aircraft being hit by flak and then attacked by a Me. 109 - 'hit by machine-gun bullets but escaped into cloud' (ibid).

Nine aircraft from No. 53 Squadron returned to Brest during the evening of 9 January, Kinsey once again flying in Pilot Officer Newton's crew. A week or two later, however, he re-joined Plumtree's crew, in which capacity he flew a further sortie to Brest, in addition to Cherbourg and Ostend in the first week of February.

Bircham Newton

A move to R.A.F. Bircham Newton in Norfolk took place on 8 February with the Squadron's aircraft flying in two days later. Plumtree and crew undertook their first operation from their new station on the 14th, as one of three aircraft taking part in a daylight offensive sweep of the Dutch Coast:

'Approached Den Helder at 8,000 feet. Heavy ground mist over harbour and docks. No Cloud. At 1452 bombed from 7,000 feet on course 340 Degrees T. in a stick. Bursts were seen across a commercial harbour and railway to the West. A few unidentified ships were seen in docks through the mist. No further ships seen. Two Me. 109s seen near Helder, but they did not attack' (ibid).

The following day Plumtree and crew participated in a 'Wander Patrol', another daylight offensive sweep around the Dutch Coast.

St. Eval - Journey's end

On the 18 February, orders were received from H.Q. 16 Group that No. 53 Squadron was to relocate to St. Eval in Cornwall to commence convoy escorts and sea patrols. Due to bad weather, the Squadron's aircraft would not arrive until 23rd of the month. From their new station Plumtree and crew would fly their first operation on the 1 March 1941, when detailed to provide escort for merchant vessels entering Milford Haven.

A further convoy escort patrol was carried out the next day, followed by a sea patrol on the 4th, which took them over The Scilly Isles. A turn was made to track along the Brittany coast before sighting Guernsey where, owing to a lack of cloud cover, a course was set to make landfall at the Lizard Peninsular. The following day Sergeant Kinsey participated in another convoy escort patrol, the last operation he would fly with Plumtree.

For what would prove to be his final operation, Kinsey joined the crew of Pilot Officer E. L. E. Nicholson. At 0930 hours on 7 April 1941, they took off from St. Eval in Blenheim Mk. IV T2398, detailed for another convoy escort patrol. The crew - including Pilot Officer H. A. L. Stone, the Observer- failed to return and were reported missing.

They have no known grave and are all commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey; sold with a file of copied research.








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