Sportsman. Land and Water Speed Record Holder. Born in Horley, Surrey, he was the son of Sir Malcolm Campbell, and followed in the footsteps of his father by setting world speed records on both land and water. On July 23, 1955 at Ullswater, Cumbria, he became the first person to complete an officially timed run with a jet-propelled hydroplane, achieving a speed of 202.32 mph (325 kmph). On December 31, 1964, he beat this record at Dumbleyung Lake, Australia, with a speed of 276.33 mph (444.6 kmph). On July 17, 1964 he set a speed record on land with a jet-powered Class A land vehicle (4 wheels, but size is unlimited), with a speed of 403.1 mph (649 kmph), at Lake Eyre Salt Flats, Australia. Donald died in 1967 on Coniston Water, Cumbria whilst attempting to beat his own world record of 276 mph at a speed close to 320 mph on his return run (a run that was not planned) having reached 297 mph on the outward run. His last words were "I'm getting a lot of bloody row in here. I can't see anything. I am having to draw back. I've got the bows up. I've gone. Oh.....". The Bluebird K7 which Donald Campbell used for this attempt was raised from the bottom of Coniston Water on March 8, 2001 . The tail was surprisingly intact and remains very blue, but nothing remained of the cockpit. Donald Campbell's body was later recovered from the lake bed and buried in the churchyard in the new Parish Cemetery in hawkshead Old Road, Coniston.
Sportsman. Land and Water Speed Record Holder. Born in Horley, Surrey, he was the son of Sir Malcolm Campbell, and followed in the footsteps of his father by setting world speed records on both land and water. On July 23, 1955 at Ullswater, Cumbria, he became the first person to complete an officially timed run with a jet-propelled hydroplane, achieving a speed of 202.32 mph (325 kmph). On December 31, 1964, he beat this record at Dumbleyung Lake, Australia, with a speed of 276.33 mph (444.6 kmph). On July 17, 1964 he set a speed record on land with a jet-powered Class A land vehicle (4 wheels, but size is unlimited), with a speed of 403.1 mph (649 kmph), at Lake Eyre Salt Flats, Australia. Donald died in 1967 on Coniston Water, Cumbria whilst attempting to beat his own world record of 276 mph at a speed close to 320 mph on his return run (a run that was not planned) having reached 297 mph on the outward run. His last words were "I'm getting a lot of bloody row in here. I can't see anything. I am having to draw back. I've got the bows up. I've gone. Oh.....". The Bluebird K7 which Donald Campbell used for this attempt was raised from the bottom of Coniston Water on March 8, 2001 . The tail was surprisingly intact and remains very blue, but nothing remained of the cockpit. Donald Campbell's body was later recovered from the lake bed and buried in the churchyard in the new Parish Cemetery in hawkshead Old Road, Coniston.
Bio by: Kieran Smith
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QUEENS COMMENDATION
FOR BRAVE CONDUCT
WHOSE ACHIEVEMENTS IN
WORLD SPEED RECORDS
DEPICT HIS COURAGE
IN LIFE AND DEATH
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