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Pilot Officer Marcus William Terence KIDSON (115800)
126 Squadron Royal Air Force Date of birth: 23rd August 1921 Date of death: 5th March 1942 Killed in action aged 20 Commemorated on the Malta Memorial Panel 3 Column 1
Marcus William Terence Kidson was born at Suvla in Fiji on the 23rd of August 1921 the son of Captain Norman Studholme Brownrigg Kidson, Resident Commissioner for the British Solomon Islands, and his second wife, Gladys Lilian (nee Sandiford) Kidson, of Brigown, Co. Cork, in the Irish Republic and of "Sikiana", Manor Road, South Hinchley Wood, Esher in Surrey. He was educated at Lancing College where he won a Scholarship and was in Gibbs House from September 1935 to July 1939. He was a member of the Football XI in 1938 and the Cricket XI in 1938 and 1939 being Secretary in 1939. He achieved his School Certificate in 1937. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on the 8th of December 1941 and was one of four pilots posted 126 Squadron on the 21st of February 1942. He joined them at their base at RAF Ta Kali on Malta on the 27th of February 1942. On the 5th of March 1942 the day began at 9.25am with a bombing raid on Ta’Qali airfield, damaging three underground hangars and injuring three civilians who were working in the operations room. At 11.43am eight Hurricanes from 126 Squadron were scrambled from RAF Ta Kali to intercept an incoming enemy raid. They spotted and engaged five Junkers 88 aircraft with six Messerschmitt 109s flying above, who were returning from the raid and were about five miles to the north of Grand Harbour. Two Junkers 88s were attacked by Sergeant John Livingston Boyd, with the starboard engines of both aircraft being seen to be set on fire before he was chased away by enemy fighters. At about 12.10pm, one of the escorting Messerschmitt 109s, flown by Oberfeldwebel Heinrich Leschert of 3/JG53, shot down Marcus Kidson’s Hurricane which crashed into the sea. This was Leschert’s seventh of an eventual twenty three victories. His father received the following telegram dated the 6th of March 1942: - "Deeply regret to inform you that your son Pilot Officer Marcus William Terence Kidson is reported missing but believed to have lost his life as the result of air operations on 5/3/42. Any further information received will be communicated to you immediately. Letter confirming this telegram follows." He is commemorated on the Commonwealth Air Forces Memorial at Malta

Gibbs House