Joseph Robert "Joe" Kayll RAF   W/C OBE,   DSO,   DFC,  MiD x2   Born 12 April 1914 in Sunderland Involved in the family lumber business when he Joined 607 [Auxiliary AF] Squadron in 1934 In Nov., 1939 he was FC when that unit went to France Took command of 615 Squadron in March 1940 (France) Their records being destroyed by a bomb shortly before their withdrawel, late in May, back to the UK Within the week, he was awarded a DFC & a DSO By the end of June, 615 was back at it with Kayll seeing action until Decmber when he was posted to HQ, Fighter command as S/L Tactics. That only lasted until June 1941 when he was posted to Hornchurch as W/C Flying On 25 July he was flying No.2 to Harry Broadhurst when their section of four were bounced. Only Broady made it back. Kayle Spent the rest of the war as a POW but earned himself an OBE for his escapades

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No info on the DFC at this time

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Acting S/L Joseph Robert KAYLL, D.F.C. (90276)

Distinguished Service Order

London Gazette #34860, 31 May 1940, supplement to the Gazette of 28 May

Owing to his inspiring training and leadership, this officer's squadron has destroyed 32 enemy aircraft. The squadron responded to every call made and, in particular, made several important and dangerous reconnaissances for the Army. Squadron Leader Kayll combined flying leadership and administration in an exemplary manner throughout, and destroyed five enemy aircraft, bringing his total to nine

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W/C Joseph Robert KAYLL, D.S.O., D.F.C. (90276), Auxiliary Air Force, No. 54 Squadron

Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Gazette #37666, 26 July 1946, supplement to the Gazette of 23 July

Wing Commander Kayll was shot down near St. Omer in July 1941 and captured immediately. He became S.B.O. at Oflag IX A/H until moved to Warburg in October 1941. In September 1942, Wing Commander Kayll escaped in a mass break out and, with a companion, walked south for seven days, covering 90 Km. before being recaptured by a forester, south of Fulda. He was transferred to Stalag Luft III (Sagan) in May 1943, and was in charge of the Escape Committee for the East Compound. Escape activities involved a very high proportion of the camp, and its direction was both arduous and dangerous, but Wing Commander Kayll was unsparing in his efforts to carry out this work. He also organized the whole of the security and intelligence section.

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Joe Kayll being taken prisoner

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While leading the Hornchurch Wing in July 1941, Kayll was shot down and taken prisoner by the Germans. He was held at Oflag XXIB, Sagan & Stalag luft III and ended up doing some time with Niel Livingstone-Bussel (Major, Parachute reg. & Direct descendant of Dr. David Livingstone [Africa] - that's him on the right ;^) What they coudn't know then was that two of their children would marry and one of the products of that marrage would be Pete Kayll. Pete emailed me these pix from his laptop in Bagdad and plans to send more info on Joe when he can... might be a while ...

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Victories Include :

13.17 - 8.17 / 3 / 6

*At this point his DSO citation says he has 9 destroyed. He believes he claimed "about 7"

** This unconfirmed is seen in the probables section in his total above, which also includes 5 possible destroyed for which there are no records.

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Thanks go out to

grandson Pete for the photos & infos !

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