Donald was born on March 23 1921. His father, Malcolm was building a dog kennel in the garage during the birth. Donald was looked after by a nanny and his mother and occasionally could be found with Leo Villa in his fathers workshop. At the age of six he was sent to Manor House in Sussex, where discipline is believed to have been very strict.

In the Easter of 1932, at the age of nine he was moved to St. Peter’s Preparatory School where he excelled at individual activities including boxing and shooting and began supplementing his income by selling autographs of his famous father. In July 1934, Donald moved to Uppington Public School, the same school his father had attended. He was placed in the same 'house' as his father and on finding his fathers initials, 'MDC' carved into a beam, proceeded to add his own, 'DMC', like father, like son. He remained in the same form for three years, showing little interest in education, but excelling in sporting pursuits. At the age of sixteen he contracted German Measles, which developed into Rheumatic Fever.

On leaving school his father got him a job at Lloyds Insurance Brokers, where Donald was an office boy on £1 a week. What Donald really wanted to do however, was to be a pilot and a fighter pilot at that. In June 1939, whilst riding his motorbike he had an unfortunate accident, fracturing his skull and hurting his back, this confined him to bed for several weeks.

In September 1939 he enlisted in the Royal Air Force and passed the preliminary medical exam, failing to inform them that he had suffered from Rheumatic Fever. In 1940, he reported to RAF Cardington near Bedford and was given the number A.C.H. 964147. After further medical tests at the RAF Halton Hospital, he was given a discharge because of his history of Rheumatic Fever.

Some weeks after returning home, he collided with a Canadian army truck and fractured his skull for the second time, keeping him out of action for a considerable time. After his recovery he joined Briggs Motor Bodies Ltd as an assistant to the aircraft sales manager and later became a maintenance engineer for the company. Without his fathers knowledge he married Daphne Harvey in 1945 and their daughter, Georgina was born in 1946. The family moved to Reigate Hill in the same year and Donald pursued his business interests in Kine Engineering, which he had invested £1,200, money he had saved during the war.

After Sir Malcolm’s death in 1948, he purchased Bluebird K4 and the 1935 Blue Bird car for a nominal sum. On hearing that the American Henry Kaiser was building a boat to attack the record, he approached Leo Villa with the idea of ‘keeping the flag flying’, Leo agreed. They visited Peter du Cane, the managing-director of Vosper’s and K4 was converted back to it’s 1939 configuration.

Between 1949 - 1951, Bluebird K4 went through many modifications, and in 1951 won the Oltranza Cup. In September of 1951, while travelling at between 160-170 mph, K4 hit a submerged log and sank. There is also some talk that K4 actually had a structural fault, allowing the gearbox to rotate and punch a 6ft x 7ft hole in the hull. She was recovered, stripped of all usable components and the hull burnt.

In 1952 Donald married Dorothy McKegg and approached Norris Brothers Ltd - consultant engineers to design a new propeller driven craft, this was changed to jet power after realising the speeds he wanted were impossible with prop power. The new Bluebird K7 was constructed at Samlesbury Engineering Ltd and handed over to Donald on the 26th November 1954, after being unveiled by Lady Wavell Wakefield. On the 23rd July 1955, Donald set a speed of 202.32 mph, enough to break Stanley Sayer’s record in Slo Mo Shun.

At Lake Mead on 16th November 1955 he achieved a new record of 216.2 mph. This was not without drama however, as a month earlier K7 sunk at Lake Mead. After K7’s return from the United States, many modifications were made and between 1956 and 1959, Donald raised the water speed record 4 occasions to 260.35mph on Coniston Water.

 Water Speed King
A portrait photograph of Donald
taken on September 25 1958

In 1958, Donald married for the third time to Tonia Bern, a Belgium cabaret singer. In 1959, he purchased Roundwood Hall near Reigate and launched into a new project for the land speed record. The attempt was at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, with substantial backing from British Petroleum. After several build up runs the car veered of the course and crashed at around 360mph. Donald received a fractured skull (for the third time), burst eardrum and various other injuries. Whilst in hospital Donald announced that he wanted to have another go at the record, on hearing this, Sir Alfred Owen, owner of Motor Panels, admiring Donald's courage, rebuilt a replacement for free.

On New Years Eve 1964, on Lake Dumbleyung in Western Australia, he set a new water speed record of 276.30 mph. This was to be his finest achievement, he had done the double of water and land speed records in one calendar year, a feat that will probably never be seen again. This achievement however, went virtually unnoticed in Britain and cost Donald financially.

On returning to Britain, Donald planned to build a new jet powered land speed record car and started preliminary designs with the Leo Villa and the Norris brothers. With potential sponsors not showing much interest in his supersonic car idea, Donald decided to give the project more exposure and announced his intention of breaking 300mph on water.

He returned to Coniston Water in 1966 with only one sponsor, the Daily Sketch, (he had approached BP for fuel and lubricants but had been turned down) and after problems with the engine, weather and mechanical issues, it looked like he might finally be able to break the water speed record on the 4th January 1967.

While playing cards the previous night, Donald had turned over the ace and queen of spades, being a superstitious man, he remembered that Mary Queen Of Scots had drawn these same cards the night before she was beheaded.

Wednesday 4th January 1967 dawned with a flat calm lake and dead still air, these were perfect conditions for a record attempt. The timekeepers were called and Donald took to the water in K7 at around 8.30am. At 8.42am he started up the Orpheus Turbo-Jet in K7 and ran his first timed pass for the day. He was clocked at 297mph on a glass smooth lake with K7's trim absolutely perfect. At the turnaround Donald circled the refuelling barge but did not stop to refuel. He waited just under four minutes for his wash to subside from the first run, and being unable to check with Leo Villa, who was watching the conditions in the center of the lake due to a radio communication problem, announced he was commencing his return run. This was to be a fatal mistake, as the new water brake fitted to K7 had churned up the lake surface and there was still some rippling on the surface.

Donald turned K7 around and headed back down the course at a fantastic pace for his return run, describing his run by radio to his crew. Just before the end of the measured kilometre, with her planning points out of the water and travelling at a reported speed of 328 mph, she rose gracefully, bows first from the water, did a backward somersault and plunged back into the water nose first, killing Donald instantly. The main hull continued down the lake, cartwheeling for several hundred feet, destroying itself and shedding unidentifiable bits and pieces everywhere. Within 30 seconds of the crash K7 was gone, having sunk to the bottom of Coniston in 150 feet of murky water. Donald disappeared into the lake with K7 and an extensive search was undertaken, but he was never found. A brave and heroic man died that day, and the Campbell legend was created.

On January 28th, 1967, it was announced in the London Gazette that Donald had been awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Gallantry (OBE), for ‘his courage and determination in attacking the world water speed record’. There was widespread feeling that this fell far short of what his efforts deserved. It was said, 'that under existing rules he could not receive the George Cross or Albert Medal, which are the two highest posthumous awards given to civilians, as he had not saved anybody’s life'.

Donald had received the Segrave Trophy on four occasions, 1955, 1958, 1964 and 1966 for his skills on both water and land, the final trophy posthumously. In 1955 he was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). His father, Sir Malcolm was once heard to say to Donald, 'you will never be like me, we're built different'. Donald proved him wrong, for he was stronger and more determined than his father gave him credit.

UPDATED

Body found in lake confirmed as Donald Campbell
A coroner has confirmed that human remains found in Coniston Water are those of powerboating legend Donald Campbell. An inquest heard tests on DNA samples taken from the body and from members of Campbell's family proved the remains were 1.9 million times more likely to be those of the speed hero's than anyone else.

Campbell was trying to break his own water speed record of 276mph when his boat somersaulted before crashing. Divers found the remains in May 2001 - 34 years after Campbell's attempt ended in his death. Furness coroner Ian Smith said there was "absolutely no doubt" the body was that of Donald Campbell. After the hearing in Barrow Town Hall, Cumbria, Campbell's daughter Gina, 51, said she felt "totally relieved".

She said: "There was always a little bit of doubt. Now there is no doubt. The mystery of the lake now becomes a reality."

Cumbria Police scenes-of-crime officer Carl Langhorn told the hearing that DNA expert Dr Tim Clayton carried out tests on the remains and on samples from Ms Campbell and Donald Campbell's sister Jean Wales. Mr Langhorn said: "Dr Clayton holds a strong view that the remains are from a person related to Gina and Jean.

"He believes it is 1.9 million times more likely that they have originated from the father of Gina than anyone else." Ms Campbell confirmed to Mr Smith her father's name, date of birth and that he was born in Kingston, Surrey.

Funeral plans
Mr Smith said: "The purpose today is to say if we can establish for sure the identity of the remains discovered in the lake and the answer is clearly yes. "I am satisfied beyond any doubt that the remains are that of Donald Malcolm Campbell CBE." Mr Smith adjourned the hearing so a full inquest can take place at a later date.

Ms Campbell said her father's funeral would be in the village of Coniston in September and hoped a representative from the Royal Family would attend.

She said: "I think my father would be happy in the hills with the Coniston people who have been so kind and looked after him all these years. I expect it to be a big funeral - it's not going to be a closed shop. I want it to be a celebration - I don't want it to be a sombre occasion. I want people to come and say: 'Wow'.

"We are hoping for representation from the Royal Family and the RAF."

Remains found
Interviewed on Thursday by BBC Radio WM, she revealed details of the remains found by the diving team. A human form was found, a body with the consistency of wax and that to me is sort of comforting. For instance, my father's St Christopher was round his neck and they found that, on a long cord which he always wore. His race suit which he always wore was only thin nylon. It was ripped at the ankles and cuffs but it was intact. In his pocket were told old half crowns and four penny pieces. It was quite staggering.

The remains were placed in a blue box and draped in a Union Jack flag before being brought to the shore. Some of Campbell's clothes, including his helmet, shoes, lifejacket and teddy bear mascot were recovered earlier.