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Kingcome, Charles Brian Fabris

    Date of birth:
    May 31st, 1917 (Calcutta, India)
    Date of death:
    February 1994 (Devon, Great Britain)
    Service number:
    33319
    Nationality:
    British

    Biography

    Brian Fabris Kingcome was born on May 31st 1917 in Calcutta, where his father was in trade. He was educated at Bedford and entered the RAF College, Cranwell in 1936. Soon after he began his pilot course he was seriously injured in a car accident. A RAF medical board told him he would never fly again as he was expected to suffer permanent double vision. But after months in hospital the resilience, will and strength which characterised both his service and civilian careers assured him a fighter cockpit. In 1938 he was posted to No 65, a biplane Gladiator fighter squadron based at Hornchurch.
    At the outbreak of war he was flying with No. 65 Squadron and took part in the Battles of France and Dunkirk. Thereafter, he was posted as a flight commander to 92 Squadron, scoring his first victories in June 1940. From July to October 1940, Kingcome fought doggedly from. In one engagement he was temporarily in command 92 Squadron when, after shooting down an enemy bomber, he found himself separated from his fellows. Suddenly: Bang! The aeroplane was full of holes, I was bloody indignant he recorded. He always believed he had been shot down by another Spitfire. Unable to control his fighter, Kingcome baled out at 20,000ft and allowed himself to freefall until well away from the fighting, lest he be shot at while swinging from his parachute.
    He became acting commanding officer during the latter stages of the Battle of Britain. During this time he and his pilots achieved the highest success rate of any squadron in the entire Battle of Britain. After being shot down by Me109s and wounded, he returned to active operations. In February 1942 he was posted to command 72 Squadron and almost immediately be was ordered to provide escort cover for tbe ill-fated Fleet Air Arm Swordfish attack on the capital ships ‘Scharnhorst’ and ‘Gneisenau’ and and the cruiser ‘Prinz Eugen’ as they sailed througb the Channel, gaving escort cover to the Fleet Air Arm pilot Eugene Esmonde, who won the VC. In atrocious weather Kingcome caught a fleeting glimpse of tbe ‘Scharnhorst’ - "Oh what a beautiful battleboat!" he exclaimed, just as a shell made a hole the size of a dustbin lid in his port wing.
    In 1943 he was posted to North Africa to lead 244 Wing, and lead this for 18 months, becoming a Gp. Capt. after the invasion of Italy. By the end of his stay with the wing he had brought his score to 8 and 3 shared destroyed, plus a score of probables and damaged and was then posted as SASO of a Liberator group, and flew an operation as a waist gunner over northern Yugoslavia after taking up this appointment.
    By the end of the Second World War he had an official score of 11 kills but his true score was more like 20; rather than wait to confirm the destruction of an enemy aircraft, he preferred to continue to lay about him.
    But war had taken a toll on his health and, after being treated for tuberculosis, he was invalided from the service in 1954.
    In civilian life he engaged in a number of unsuccesful attempts to make a living out of producing movies ('That Lady' en 'The White Rabbit') and a tv series ('Assignment Foreign Legion'). But they all didn't become a commercial succes. After that het set up a successfully and fancy London garage and car hire business with his Battle of Britain comrade Paddy Barthropp. In 1969, with his wife Lesley he set up ‘Kingcome Sofas’in which he worked until 1989 when he sold the bussiness, retired and moved to Devon.
    After the war he published the book 'A Willingness to Die'.
    Brian Kincome suddenly died in 1994.

    Promotions:
    January 24, 1940: Flying Officer
    January 30, 1941: Flight Lieutenant
    March 1, 1942: Acting Squadron Leader
    January 1, 1946 Acting Group Captain

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    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Acting Flight Lieutenant
    Unit:
    No. 92 (East India) Squadron, Royal Air Force
    Awarded on:
    October 25th, 1940
    Citation:
    "Flight Lieutenant Kingcome has personally destroyed six enemy aircraft and by his leadership has been responsible, for the destruction of many others. He has led his flight, and lately his squadron, with judgment, skill and keenness."
    Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Flight Lieutenant
    Unit:
    No. 92 (East India) Squadron, Royal Air Force
    Awarded on:
    July 29th, 1941
    Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
    Citation:
    "This officer has at all times displayed determination, judgment and courage and has set a very high standard to other pilots which has been reflected in the achievements of his squadron. He has now destroyed at least ten enemy aircraft and damaged many others."

    Second DFC awarded as a bar for on the first DFC.
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Acting Wing Commander
    Unit:
    RAF Fighter Leaders School, HQ, Royal Air Force
    Awarded on:
    December 15th, 1942
    Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
    Recommendation:
    "Wing Commander Kingcome has lead the Kenley Wing on 22 offensive sweeps; including the Battle of Dieppe. He has made a total of 357 operational sorties, 207 of which were offensive sweeps, and has flown 535 operational hours. He has destroyed a total of 11 enemy aircraft, probably destroyed 5 and damaged 13. His claims are traditionally modest. Throughout the period of his command of this Wing, his coolness and ability in action - coupled with his natural powers of leadership has proved a great inspiration to the Squadrons. He is practically the last operational pilot of his ‘vintage’ and has displayed tremendous resolution and athleticism to remain on operations so long."
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Acting Group Captain
    Awarded on:
    January 1st, 1946
    Mentioned in Dispatches
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)

    Met "BATTLE OF BRITAIN" clasp.
    1939-1945 Star
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)

    With "ATLANTIC" clasp.
    Air Crew Europe Star

    Sources

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