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Flight Lieutenant John Edward ROBINS (70582)
Central Flying School, Royal Air Force Date of birth: 19th December 1910 Date of death: 30th April 1941 Killed on active service aged 30 Buried at St Mary’s Abbey Churchyard, Tewkesbury
John Edward Robins was born at Sheffield on the 19th of December 1910 the only son of Edward Craig Robins, a Director of Robins and Co, Steel Manufacturers of Sheffield, and of Bertha (nee Wheatley) Robins later of 135 Anderton Park Road, Moseley, Birmingham in Warwickshire. He was educated at Lancing College where he was in Manor House from January 1925 to July 1929. He gained his School Certificate in 1927. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps, achieving Certificate A in 1927 and was promoted to Cadet Officer on the 1st of January 1929. He was a member of the Cricket 2nd XI in 1928 Cricket 1st XI in 1929. The Lancing College Magazine described his 1929 cricket season thus: - "An unorthodox player who did not meet with much success." He was a member of the Football 2nd XI in 1927 and of the Football XI in 1928, when he recieved his School Colours for Football. He was a member of the Running VIII from 1926 to 1929, being its Secretary in 1927 and its Captain in 1928 and 1929. He was a member of the winning team in the Public Schools Championship, Ranelagh Harriers 1927 to 1929. He was also the individual winner in 1929. He was a member of the Athletics team from 1927 to 1929 being Captain for the latter two years. He was Victor Ludorum in 1927 and 1929 and was holder of the School Steeplechase and Mile Records and winner of the Mile in LAC Public Schools Championship in a record time of 4 minutes, 31 4/8th seconds. He was awarded his House Boxing Coulours in 1928 and for Rugby in the same year. He was appointed as a House Captain in June 1927 and as a Prefect and Head of House in May 1928. He went on to Sizar, Christ’s College Cambridge in 1929 where he was a member of the Cambridge University Athletics Club. He won the 3rd String Mile in 1930, 2nd String in 1931 and 1st String in 1932; he was a member of the Cambridge Relay Team against Oxford in 1930 and 1931. He achieved a MA. He was commissioned as a Probationary Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Reserve of Officers on the 17th of March 1931 and was confirmed in that rank on the 17th of March 1932. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 17th of September 1932. He joined Messrs. Lewis of Liverpool in 1932. He was married at Liverpool in 1939 to Millicent (nee Galloway), of Neston in Cheshire. By 1941 he was an instructor at the Central Flying School at Upavon in Wiltshire. He had a total of 716.15 flying hours of which 40.35 were at night and 375.50 hours on the aircraft type, of which 34 were at night. At 11.25pm on the night of the 30th of April 1941 he took off with his student, Pilot Officer John Frederick Raw, in Miles Mk 1 Magister T8678 for a night flying exercise. Soon after take off the aircraft was seen, by its navigation lights, to drop a wing and dive straight into the ground at New Zealand Farm, Littleton Down where the fuel tanks exploded and the aircraft burned out. Both men were killed instantly. His father received the following telegram dated the 1st of May 1941: - "Deeply regret to inform you that your son Flying Officer John Edward Robins is reported to have lost his life as the result of an aircraft accident on April 30th 41. The Air Council express their profound sympathy. His wife has been informed." His funeral service took place at Tewkesbury Abbey at noon on the 3rd of May 1941 following which he was cremated and his ashes were interred in the churchyard. He is commemorated on a memorial in the south aisle of the Abbey.

Manor House