Desmond Percy Kelly RIP

Kyt · Aug 6, 2008

High flyer an ace even on the ground | theage.com.au

DES KELLY, a World War II Spitfire pilot and prominent Latrobe Valley businessman who was the driving force behind the establishment of the Latrobe Regional Airport, has died of cancer in palliative care at Frankston. He was 88.

Born in Morwell, Kelly showed early drive when, at age 16, he started a bicycle business with his brother Brian. After selling the bicycle business, he set up Kelly Brothers Motors with his brothers Brian and Don. The company was appointed as a General Motors dealer for the area, and the business grew into the Kelly Brothers Group of companies that operated throughout the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland into the 1980s.

Kelly became involved in aviation when he was employed by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith to keep a smoke fire burning, to indicate wind direction, while he conducted joy flights at Morwell during his 1932 tour of Gippsland.

Kelly learned to fly with the Royal Victorian Aero Club at Essendon before World War II. When war was declared, he tried to enlist with the RAAF and was initially rejected on medical grounds. But he persisted and was finally accepted in June 1941.

Leaving the Kelly Brothers business in the care of his brothers, he was posted to Rhodesia where he was trained under the Empire Air Training Scheme. He graduated in September 1942 with the rank of sergeant and was sent to Britain, where he served with the RAF's No. 124 Baroda Squadron, flying high altitude Spitfire MkVII fighters with the job of shooting down Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft. He shot down an Me109 and was listed with another "probable" kill.

Kelly was mentored by RAF Battle of France ace Garry Nowell, and his flying ability was quickly recognised. Soon he was leading a flight, despite only being a sergeant. Ironically, it was officially noted that he had "exceptional eyesight" in the air.

Over France in April 1944 with 616 Squadron, he was hit in the face by anti-aircraft fire. Badly injured in one eye and with the other firmly closed in sympathy, he was urged to bale out. But he insisted on bringing the valuable aircraft back to base — as he had done in 10 other forced landings. As his section leader, Nowell was able to guide him by radio back to England to a safe landing.

Kelly lost an eye as a result, and the Spitfire was written off, having lost one-third of a wing due to shrapnel damage. It was also discovered that his parachute harness had been badly damaged, so he would not have survived if he had baled out.

He then survived an air raid on the hospital in Chichester where he spent several weeks convalescing.

He was reinstated to non-operational flying status with 616 Squadron, then became an instructor with 1335 Conversion Unit, the first jet conversion flight, which trained pilots of No. 616 Squadron, the first Allied jet combat unit to fly the then new twin-jet Meteors fighters.

This unit that he led soon became the world's first jet formation aerobatic team, and gave a solo aerobatic performance at The Hague for Queen Juliana of the Netherlands on Battle of Britain Day 1945.

By the end of the war he had been commissioned and promoted to the rank of flying officer, and was offered a RAF post as a test pilot. He, however, decided to return to Australia with Else, his Womens Auxiliary Air Force bride of six months, and was demobilised in 1946.

Back in Morwell, he rejoined Kelly Brothers Motors, which was selected by General Motors to become a dealer for the launch of the new Holden car in 1948. Kelly eventually acquired the first Holden prototype, which was built in Detroit in 1946, two years before the first Australian production car. This car is now on permanent display in the National Museum. The company also established Kelly Brothers Refrigeration Pty Ltd, a white goods retailer.

He retained a keen interest in flying and became a leading figure in the establishment of the Latrobe Valley Aero Club in 1949. Kelly was president of the club for more than two decades, and its first life member.

He became president of the Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia and served in that position for 11 years. The RFACA recently established the Des Kelly Award, which is presented annually for an outstanding achievement in flying.

In his role of RFACA president, Kelly represented Australia at the Federation Aeronautique Internationale, which furthers aeronautical and astronautical activities worldwide. The FAI awarded him the Paul Tissandier diploma in 1960, its top award for services to aviation in general and sporting aviation in particular.

Kelly served as president of the FAI from 1978 to 1980 — the first Australian (and one of only two Australians) to have been president. He was then given the singular distinction of being made president of honour of the FAI.

Kelly was also a long-standing member of Rotary, Legacy and the RSL in Morwell.

Of all his achievements, perhaps his most significant contribution to the community was the establishment of the Latrobe Valley Regional Airport. Through his persistence, Kelly convinced the federal government of the day that it was in the national interest to buy the land and contribute to the establishment of the airport.

Kelly was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1980 for his services to aviation.

He retired to Mount Eliza, and is survived by his wife Else, son Patrick and daughters Sue, Barbara and Debbie, his sister Alison Kennedy and her family.
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Desmond Percy Kelly RIP

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