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401290 : Sergeant Charles Hepburn ROBSON (surname underlined)
Parents: Mr. & Mrs. C.W.H. ROBSON of FEILDING (surname & town underlined)

Charles Robson was born at Feilding on the 18th June 1917 and received his secondary education at Nelson College attaining Matriculation standard. The games he played were rugby, tennis, cricket and golf. After leaving school he entered his father's business in Feilding as a clerk. In October 1939 he applied for war service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Sergeant Robson was enlisted for aircrew training on the 7th May 1940 at the Ground Training School, Levin and was posted on the 4th June to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri to commence his flying training. This preliminary training completed on the 27th July he proceeded to No. 1 Service Flying Training School, Wigram and while here on the 21st September 1940 he was awarded his Flying Badge and on the 21st (was 22nd) November received his promotion to Sergeant. Following this on the 5th December he embarked on the "Aorangi" at Auckland to proceed to the United Kingdom.

Arriving in England on the 16th January 1941, Sergeant Robson reported to the Royal Air Force Depot, Uxbridge, Middlesex remaining attached here until posted on the 3rd February to No. 58 Operational Training Unit, Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland. This was followed by a further operational course with No. 21 Operational Training Unit, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire where he crewed-up and completed his training on Wellington bomber aircraft prior to being posted on the 21st June to No. 12 Squadron, Binbrook, Lincolnshire and commencing operational flying. With this squadron as pilot of a Wellington bomber he took part in five operational flights comprising two attacks on Cherboug, two on Lorient and one on Brest all in France.

From the attack on Brest undertaken on the night of the 6/7th July 1941 the aircraft failed to return to its base and all its crew was classified as missing. Later information was received that Sergeant Robson had lost his life and he was in consequence reclassified as missing believed killed in action.