{{Short description|South African Air Force officer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use South African English|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = | name = Kevin Roy Winterbottom | honorific_suffix = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date text|1955}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|1976|06|09|1955|df=y}} | birth_place = Pretoria, South Africa | death_place = Pretoria, South Africa | burial_place = | burial_label = | burial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --> | nickname = | birth_name = | allegiance = South Africa | branch = South African Air Force | service_years = | rank = 2nd Lieutenant | service_number = 70388129PE | unit = 4 Squadron SAAF | commands = | battles = | battles_label = | awards = {{MilAward Stack|HC75}} | relations = | other_work = | signature = | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> }} '''Kevin Roy Winterbottom''' (1955{{snd}}9 June 1976) was a South African Air Force (SAAF) pilot who chose to avoid crashing his stricken Impala jet aircraft in the Monument Park suburb of Pretoria by remaining with his aircraft to the end. He was posthumously awarded the 25th Honoris Crux decoration for bravery, the first such award for gallantry outside battle.<ref name="justdone.co.za">{{cite web |url=http://www.justdone.co.za/ROH/main.php?page=View_Person&PersonNumber=1673 |title=SA Roll of Honour - Person Information - Kevin Roy Winterbottom |access-date=9 July 2011 |archive-date=29 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929002138/http://www.justdone.co.za/ROH/main.php?page=View_Person&PersonNumber=1673 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The HC was at the time South Africa's highest military decoration that could be awarded in peacetime.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xJZkoEf_gh4C&pg=PA283 |title=Borderstrike!: South Africa into Angola 1975-1980 |first1=Willem |last1=Steenkamp |date=30 March 2024 |pages= 283–284|publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1-920169-00-8 }}</ref>

== Early life == Winterbottom was born in Pretoria, Transvaal Province, South Africa. He attended Pretoria Boys High School where he matriculated in 1972.

== Service and fatal accident == Winterbottom joined the SAAF in 1973, entering Officer and Pilot training. He was serving with 4 Squadron at the time of his death.

On the morning of 9 June 1976, Winterbottom was piloting Atlas MB326&nbsp;km Impala Mk II #1022.<ref name="wargraves">{{cite web|title=KEVIN ROY WINTERBOTTOM|url=http://www.southafricawargraves.org/lists/saborder_w_x_y_z.htm|publisher=South Africa War Graves Project|access-date=10 July 2011}}</ref> While making his approach to land at Waterkloof Air Force Base an engine failure due to a bird strike left him with no thrust and insufficient altitude to reach the airfield.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Du Toit |first=Graham C.L. |title=Roll of Honour - South African Air Force |publisher=South African Air Force Association |year=2005 |issue=4 |url=http://www.saafa.co.za/images/honour.pdf |access-date=10 July 2011 |page=100 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007183622/http://www.saafa.co.za/images/honour.pdf |archive-date= 7 October 2011 }}</ref> His options were to eject and risk the aircraft crashing with possible casualties in the suburban areas of Waterkloof or Monument Park in Pretoria, or to remain with his aircraft and guide it away from populated areas.<ref>{{cite book | last = Uys | first = Ian | year = 1993 | title = Cross of honour | publisher = Uys Publishers | isbn = 0-9583173-2-1 | page =45 }}</ref> He chose the latter, steering his aircraft to crash into a small deserted recreation park where he was killed instantly on impact.<ref name="justdone.co.za"/>

Winterbottom's ashes were scattered at the SAAF Memorial.<ref name="wargraves"/>

=== Awards === * {{MilAward Desc|HC75}}

== References == {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110927225436/http://www.boyshigh.com/i/assets/pretorian/2008/Pages41-60.pdf Remembrance Day service held on 11 November 2008, address by Rear-Admiral (JG) Derek Christian, SA Navy.]

<!--Winterbottom, Kevin-->

{{DEFAULTSORT:Winterbottom, Kevin Roy}} Category:1955 births Category:1976 deaths Category:White South African people Category:People from Pretoria Category:South African Air Force officers Category:South African military personnel killed in the Border War Category:Alumni of Pretoria Boys High School