Flying Officer and WWII Hero.
Royal Canadian Airforce (RCAF)
Bomber Command No. 10 Squadron R.A.F Station Melbourne, Yorkshire, England
Pilot in Command of Halifax B. Mk. III
Enlisted in January 1942 at the Winnipeg Recruiting Unit
Died in Holland September 24, 1944 ( 22 yrs. old).
His bombing tour would have been finished if he had completed his 30th and final operation.
After Graham’s Halifax was attacked by a Luftwaffe night-fighter ace, he ordered his crew to bail out of the stricken bomber. Flight Sergeant A.G.T. Saunders stayed onboard with his skipper. Either he was so seriously wounded he could not bail out or he decided to ride the aircraft down with his skipper. Graham wrestled with the damaged aircraft, trying to land it in the Netherlands. According to an eyewitness report, he almost succeeded.
Unfortunately, the Halifax hit some tall standing trees and crashed to the ground at Boerderij ‘Brommrlerhof’, 2 km’s east of Zwier. Limburg. Both Graham and F/S Saunders were likely killed on impact. Graham’s heroic actions undoubtedly saved most of his crew.
Medal Awarded:
• 1939 – 1945 Star
• France and Germany Star
• War Medal 1939 – 1945
• Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Bomber Command Bar and Silver bar (clasp) for
Overseas service.
From “Graham Kite WWII Hero” written by John L. Kite (his younger brother).
- Submitted by Greg J. Kite (nephew of Graham Kite)