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Donald Cobden was born at Christchurch on the 11th August 1914 and received his secondary education at the Christchurch High School attaining matriculation standard. He was outstanding at rugby football and in 1937 was selected as an All Black. He proceeded to the United Kingdom early in 1938 for the purpose of applying for a Short Service commission in the Royal Air Force and on his acceptance was enlisted as a pupil pilot on the 29th August 1938.
Pilot Officer Cobden commenced his flying training at the civil Flying School, Perth, Scotland, completing this on the 13th January 1939. He was then posted to the Royal Air Force Depot, Uxbridge, Middlesex, for a short course in service procedure and subsequent to this, reported on the 28th January to No.5 Flying Training School, Sealand, Cheshire. While here, on the 30th August 1939 he was awarded his Flying Badge and was graded as a pilot officer on probation, being subsequently confirmed in this appointment on the 29th August 1940. Meanwhile, on the 8th September 1939 he had been posted to No.615 Squadron at Croydon near London. The following month on the 6th October he was transferred to No.74 Squadron, Hornchurch, Essex, where he converted to Spitfire fighter aircraft. With this squadron he took part in eighty-four operational flights comprising twenty-three offensive patrols, thirty-six enemy aircraft interception flights, six convoy patrols and nineteen intruder patrols over enemy Territory.
Pilot Officer Cobden was pilot of a Spitfire fighter engaged on the 11th August 1940 in intercepting enemy aircraft bombing one of our shipping convoys east of Harwich. He engaged a large number of enemy Messerschmitts, and was missing after the engagement. Subsequently a report was received through the American Embassy that he was buried in the communal cemetery, Ostend, Belgium.
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MRP/NF 414594 : Sergeant Alexander Bridges COBURN. WIFE : Mrs. (Married again - see parents' letter on file) PARENTS : Mr. & Mrs. G.B. Coburn of Auckland.
Alexander Coburn was born in Hairini, Tw Awamutu, on the 26th July, 1915. He received his secondary education at the Otorohanga District High School, and gained his Accountancy Preliminary. He later attended evening classes at the Seddon Memorial Technical College, Auckland, and at the time of his application, in December, 1940, had passed seven of the subjects required for his Accountancy Professional. As a sportsman he was interested in football, cricket, rowing, swimming and tennis. At school he was the captain of the 1st XV and 1st XI. His occupation was that of credit manager of the firm of George Court & Sons Ltd., Auckland. Prior to joining the RNZAF, he served for three years in the Territorials.
Sgt. Coburn was eventually enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin, on the 17th August, 1941. At the conclusion of his initial training he was posted, on the 27th September in the same year, to No. 4 Elementary Flying Training School, Whenuapai, and early in November to No. 3 Flying Training School, Ohakea, where he trained on Oxford aircraft. On the 20th December, 1941, he was awarded his flying badge, and a month later was promoted to Sergeant. On the 22nd February, 1942, he embarked for the United Kingdom.
Sgt. Coburn arrived in England on the 14th April, 1942, and later was posted to No. 15 Advanced Flying Unit, Leconfield, Yorkshire, on the 7th July, to No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit, Cranwell, Lincolnshire, where he flew Whitley aircraft. The following month he was posted to No. 502 Squadron, St. Eval, Cornwall, and with this Squadron took par in a number of anti-submarine sweeps.
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On the 15th September, 1942, Sergeant Coburn was a member of the crew of a Whitley aircraft engaged in an antisubmarine patrol, and which failed to return to its base. All the crew including Sergeant Coburn were classified as missing. In due course his death was officially presumed to have occurred at sea with out trace on the 16th September, 1942.
Subsequently, information was received through the International Red Cross that a member of the crew had been picked up by a French fishing boat and taken prisoner by the Germans a fortnight later. He revealed that the aircraft had been forced to land on the sea 150 miles west of Brest and that Sergeant Coburn had drifted away from the crashed aircraft.
There was one other New Zealander in the crew, Pilot Officer A. E. Coates, captain of the aircraft.
5/2/7493 A.S.2. 382 hours as Pilot
Mr. G.B. Coburn (F) 77 Gribble-Hirst Road Mt. Albert, AUCKLAND
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403950 Pilot Officer Ellis Arthur Gilbert COCHRANE
Parents : Mr. and Mrs. W Cochrane of Rawene, Hokianga.
Arthur Cochrane was born at Rawene on the 22nd November, 1919, and he received his secondary education at the Rawene District High School, passing the Post and Telegraph entrance examination. At school he played football for the first XV, and afterwards tennis and golf for the Mongonui Clubs. From the time of leaving school in 1935 until applying for enlistment in Aircrew, on the 29th September 1939, he was employed by the Post and Telegraph Department at Mongonui.
Pilot Officer Cochrane was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin, on the 27th October 1940, and proceeded to Whenuapai on the 27th October for his elementary flying training, afterwards embarking on the 27th February 1941, for Canada, to train under the Empire Air Training Scheme.
Shortly after arrival there, he was posted to No. 6 Service Flying Training School, Dunville, Ontario, where on the 9th June 1941, he was awarded the flying badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Later, while in India on the 12th February 1943, he was commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer. Meantime on the 14th June 1941, he had proceeded to No. 1 "M" Depot, Debert, Nova Scotia, for embarkation to the United Kingdom.
Pilot Officer Cochrane arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, on the 1st July, and proceeded to No. 52. Operational Training Unit, Aston Down, Gloucestershire on the 17th of the same month. Here he completed his training as Pilot of Spitfire fighter Aircraft, before posting on the 25th August to No. 485 New Zealand Squadron.
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1943 in a reconnaissance flight for enemy shipping near Akyab. The aircraft failed to return to its base, the result, it is presumed, of enemy action, and Pilot Officer Cochrane was classified as missing. In due course his death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 2nd March 1943.