Irving Farmer Kennedy DFC (February 4, 1922 – January 6, 2011) was a Canadian fighter pilot in the RCAF during World War II. He was one of Canada’s highest-scoring aces of the war, with 10 solo and 5 shared aircraft destroyed, and 1 probably destroyed.
Born in Cumberland, Ontario in 1922 to Eva Farmer and Robert James Kennedy (a veteran of WWI, injured in 1917 at Vimy Ridge), he grew up a strait-laced young man who believed it was his duty to serve. The war started when he was 17 in his final year of high school in Ottawa, and he joined the RCAF in October 1940.
He did his flight training in Canada at No.2 ITS (in early 1941, and No.8 EFTS and No.10 SFTS to July 1941. As a Sergeant Pilot he was posted in the UK in August 1941, flying Hawker Hurricane fighters at No.55 OTU.
In September 1941 he was posted to No. 263 Squadron RAF, flying the Westland Whirlwind, based in the west country and flying convoy protection and ground attack sorties into France. He was promoted to Flight Sergeant in January 1942 and commissioned as a Flight Lieutenant in March 1942. In June 1942 he was posted to the newly formed No. 421 "Red Indian" Squadron, RCAF flying the Spitfire V.
He then shipped out to Malta to join No 249 Squadron in October 1942, where he became an ace with seven official victories. His first aerial victory came in February 1943 when he and another pilot downed a Junkers Ju-52 transport near Licata. He was awarded a quarter victory in shooting down a Ju-88 of KG 54 on 3 March 1943, a half victory on 22 March 1943 and a third on 16 April. In April he and American ace S/L J.J. Lynch caught and destroyed three Ju-52 transports off Sicily, and awarded two victories. Over Sicily and Italy he claimed five more victories, including a FW-190 of SKG 10 on both 4 and 10 September and two Bf 109-Gs of JG 77 on 13 October.
In June he was posted to 185 Squadron, flying a mixture of Spitfire Vs and IXs. On June 22 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Although tour-expired in July 1943, Kennedy stayed on operations, this time with 111 Squadron until September 1943. A spell with No.93 Squadron followed until December 1943.
He then returned to the UK and began another tour on 15 June 1944 as C.O. with No.401 Squadron. Kennedy downed two more German fighters for a total of 14 enemy aircraft destroyed, before he was shot down by flak on 26 July 1944. After parachuting into a field in occupied France, he initially hid in a hayloft and was cared for by a French family. With the aid of the French Maquis,Kennedy walked to Allied lines.
He returned to Canada in September 1944, and was released from the RCAF on 13 February 1945. He became a doctor and studied medicine at the University of Toronto, graduating in 1950. He was based in Cumberland, Ontario. Kennedy died on 6 January 2011.
Kennedy’s brothers, Robert and Carleton, also served. Carleton died when his Halifax Mk III bomber crashed.
Read more about Irving Farmer Kennedy: Decorations and Medals
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