ROBINSON, Kevin Alphonsus
Service Numbers: | S22893, 416614 |
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Enlisted: | 21 July 1941 |
Last Rank: | Pilot Officer |
Last Unit: | No. 199 Squadron (RAF) |
Born: | Port Pirie, South Australia, 2 January 1916 |
Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
Died: | Flying Battle, France, 16 February 1944, aged 28 years |
Cemetery: |
Mazargues War Cemetery, Marseilles, France |
Memorials: | Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, City of Port Pirie WW2 Memorial Gates, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial |
World War 2 Service
3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Corporal, S22893 | |
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10 Mar 1941: | Discharged | |
21 Jul 1941: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 416614, No. 199 Squadron (RAF) | |
21 Jul 1941: | Enlisted Adelaide | |
21 Jul 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 416614 | |
Date unknown: | Involvement | |
Date unknown: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Corporal, S22893 |
Port Pirie Pilot Officer
Kevin Alphonsus Robinson
Kevin was the son of John and Annie Robinson of Florence Street, Port Pirie and brother of Ursula and Jack. He was born on the 2nd January 1916, educated at Port Pirie High School and enlisted in the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) on the 21st July 1941.
Before enlisting Kevin was in a business partnership with his brother Jack trading as Robinson Bros. Port Pirie.
Pilot Officer Kevin Alphonsus Robinson, Service Number 416614, was one of 7 crew members of a Short Sterling MK III (EF271) Bomber who disappeared in the crash of their plane during a parachuting mission to drop supplies to resistance fighters in the South West of France, on February 16, 1944.
Kevin was attached to 199 Squadron, Royal Air Force (RAF) in a Special Operations mission when the plane crashed for reasons unknown at Vergt in the Dordogne, 22 kms south of Perigneux, France. Short Stirling’s could fly slowly at low altitudes and carry heavy loads but for these reasons, carried risks of being shot down.
All seven of the crew were killed and are buried in Mazargues War Cemetery, 6kms south west of Marseilles. Kevin is commemorated at the War Memorial in Canberra, ACT; the National War Memorial of South Australia, Adelaide, SA and the Port Pirie World War 2 Gates in Port Pirie, SA.
Submitted 30 April 2020 by Gary Fradd