The story of Grid, one of NZ’s military heroes
The story of a remarkable New Zealander and famed World War I fighter pilot Keith Caldwell has been brought to life in a new book.
Massey University historian Adam Claasen has just published Grid: The life and times of First World War fighter ace Keith Caldwell.
Caldwell was a World War I pilot, flying one-seater fighter planes against the Germans, but was also involved in aviation once he returned to New Zealand.
Claasen previously wrote a book called Fearless, which was about New Zealand airmen, but he said Caldwell deserved his own biography. “He had spanned such a great part of the war. He was there for 27 months on the Western Front serving in the air service.”
Caldwell started as a second lieutenant and ended as a major in charge of a squadron at age 22.
“People’s lives could be counted in weeks and sometimes days. To last that long is just remarkable.”
Technology changed during the war and the fighter aircraft developed rapidly. Caldwell was in the thick of it, involved in sorties against some of the best German pilots, and had 26 victories. “It is remarkable. He had close calls, a number of crash landings and brushes with death that he survived.”
Caldwell was committed to the team ethos. He had two rules. “One, always be punctual and two, he said I don’t want to ever see anybody abandon their comrades or mates in the air, even though odds are against you.
“If I do see that, my boot will be up your backside and need I remind you I have big feet.”
In one instance, Caldwell was flying with Canadian ace Billy Bishop and Caldwell’s guns jammed, but he stayed with Bishop, bluffing the Germans that his guns were still working to allow Bishop to escape.
His most famous incident was in September 1918 when he leapt from his aircraft before it crashed and he survived.
Caldwell’s aircraft was damaged after one of his comrades hit his wing and Caldwell went into a “death spiral” while over German lines. Caldwell gained control by standing up and leaning to the right with his foot on the rudder and gained “tenuous control”.
He managed to make it back over no man’s land and over the English lines.
“Just before it hits the ground, Caldwell leaps and the machine smashes into the ground and he somersaults a couple of times, stands up, brushed himself off and asks someone where the telephone is to let them know he’s all right.”
Other airmen had assumed Caldwell was dead and they were having a wake.
“The phone call comes in and this funeral thing is turned into this massive knees up party when Caldwell bounds into the room, it’s uncontrollable.”
The nickname Grid came from Caldwell’s love of slang. Grid was an Edwardian word in New Zealand for a bicycle and it was thought the wheels on the aircraft looked like a bike. Caldwell would ask mechanics “how’s my grid going?” or say “let’s get the grids out”.
After the war he returned to New Zealand and went farming. He was in charge of the territorial air force here and during World War II, was station commander at Woodbourne and Wigram.
He also went to India to look after 600 Kiwis who had been forgotten and were suffering from the effects of the war.
His final posting was to Royal New Zealand Air Force headquarters in London. He helped organise the repatriation of returning New Zealand pilots.
Claasen spoke to Caldwell’s family and was provided documents, diaries and photos.