Vernon Monroe Kidd was born in Waco, Missouri, on 6th December 1896. One of nine children, his parents were William and Frances Kidd. William was a blacksmith and, by the time of the 1900 census, he had moved the family to Delaware, Indiana.

Details of Vernon’s life are a challenge to uncover, but a later newspaper report sheds some light on him:

Lieutenant Vernon Kidd, formerly of Yorktown, was killed August 30 in France, the news coming to Yorktown yesterday to his two brothers, J Wesley and William E Kidd. He was serving with the Canadian Aviation Corps and was but 21 years old. Only last April, while visiting Yorktown, Lieutenant Kidd spoke there at the ME Church. He sailed on June 18 for overseas service. He had tried numerous times to enlist in the United States army but was rejected and later went to Canada, enlisting at Toronto. He had another brother now serving in the army against Germany.

[The Star Press: 2nd September 1918]

Vernon’s service papers give a bit more detail. He enlisted in Toronto on 12th October 1917, joining the Canadian Royal Flying Corps. He gave his next of kin as his father, who by now, was living in Port Angeles, Washington. Just short of his twentieth birthday, he was noted as being 5ft 9ins (1.75m) tall.

Sent to Britain, Vernon was based at the 29th Training Depot Station in East Boldre, Hampshire. When the Royal Air Force was founded in April 1918, he transferred across, and just a month later, he received his commission.

On the 30th August 1918, Second Lieutenant Kidd was piloting an Avre 504J biplane. It had just taken off, but the engine cut out. He had little choice but to crash land, and was killed in the impact. Vernon was 21 years of age.

Thousands of miles from home, the body of Vernon Monroe Kidd was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Paul’s Church in East Boldre.

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