Campbell Commemorative GT Coin

The coin will stay with owners and be discovered, however the tag that came with it is being sent out to travel to lakes, the larger the better, where Donald would have been at home.

The coin & tag commemorate Donald Malcolm Campbell CBE (23 March 1921 – 4 January 1967) who was a British speed record breaker who broke eight absolute world speed records on water and on land in the 1950s and 1960s. He remains the only person to set both world land and water speed records in the same year in 1964.

On 4 January 1967, weather conditions were finally suitable for a World Water Speed Record attempt on Lake Coniston Donald Campbell commenced the first run of his last record attempt at just after 8.45 am.

Bluebird entered the measured kilometre at 8:46am with Leo Villa witnessing her pass the first marker buoy at about 285 mph (459 km/h) still accelerating. 7.525 seconds later, Keith Harrison saw her leave the measured kilometre at a speed of over 310 mph (500 km/h).

The average speed recorded for the first run was 297.6 mph (478.9 km/h).

Instead of refuelling and waiting for the wash of this run to subside, Campbell decided to make the return run almost immediately.

The second run was even faster achieving a speed of 328 mph (528 km/h) but unfortunately during this run Bluebird K7 somersault before plunging into the water approximately 230m from the end of the measured kilometre.

I can’t see anything……I’ve got the bows out…. I’m going I’m going….were the final word of Donald Campbell

K7 then cartwheeled across the water before coming to rest.

The impact broke K7 forward of the air intakes (where Donald was sitting) and the main hull sank shortly afterwards. Campbell had been killed instantly. Mr Whoppit, Campbell's teddy bear mascot, was found among the floating debris and the pilot's helmet was recovered.

Despite extensive efforts by a team of Royal Navy divers and although Bluebird's wreckage was located on 5 January 1967 Donald Campbell's body was not located until 2001.

On 28 January 1967 Campbell was posthumously awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct "For courage and determination in attacking the world water speed record".

The wreckage of Campbell's craft was recovered by the Bluebird Project in October 2000, when the first sections of K7 were raised, and on 28th May 2001 Donald Campbell's body was recovered still wearing his blue nylon overalls.

Campbell was interred in Coniston cemetery on 12th September 2001 after his coffin was carried down the lake, and through the measured kilometre, on a launch, one last time.

Donald Campbell final run recorded by British Pathe News can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xemKc2In5Y