Robert Kingdon received his pilot wings with Course 77. Group Captain Elmer Fullerton assessed Kingdon as: “Quick to learn. Willing worker; very keen. This pupil is recommended for a commission.” Upon graduation from Centralia, Kingdon was posted overseas. Upon completion of training at No. 16 Operational Training Unit, Kingdon was assessed as “An average pilot and sound captain of aircraft. Recommended for heavy bombers. At No. 1657 Conversion Unit, Kingdon was rated as “An above average pilot and skipper of aircraft who had no trouble in converting, and was keen to learn. Crew discipline is good, and fighter affiliation exercises were above average. Should do well on operations.” On March 20, 1945, F/O Kingdon was serving with 214 Squadron, a radio countermeasures unit. F/O Kingdon was skipper of Fortress HB785, detailed to disrupt communication between enemy night fighters and ground controllers while RAF bombers attacked a synthetic oil plant in Bohlen, Germany. The crew never returned to their home base. On October 1st 1947, W/C W.R. Gunn, RCAF Casualties Officer sent a letter to Mrs. E.T. Kingdon, Weston, Ontario, mother of F/O Kingdon. “It is with regret that I refer to the loss of your son, Flying Officer Robert Verdun Kingdon, and to advise you that a report has been received from our Missing Research and Enquiry Service that, while on search duties in the Sulzbach Area, it was ascertained that a four-engined aircraft had crashed 1 ½ kilometres south of Sulzbach at 4:00 am., on the morning of March 21st, 1945; that it had approached the town, flying at an low altitude, and when just clear of the town, had exploded and fell to earth. “The Buergermeister and the local Priest advised that the explosion and resulting crash, being of great villence, it was not possible to identify the crew members recovered, but that they had been buried on the same day at the Sulzbach Cemetery, the local Priest and members of the Parish attending. At the cemetery it was found that all of the coffins had been place in a large single grave. The grave was in excellent condition, and the cross at the grave bore the following inscription: - ‘Hier ruhen in Gott 9 englische Fliegersoldaten abgestarzt am 21 Marz 1945, bei Sulzbach.’ “All ten members of your son’s crew were found to be buried in this grave, and all were individually identified, except Pilot Officer V.A. Routley and Flight Sergeant D.R. Miller (RAF), who are resting in Coffin No. 9, but unfortunately could not be individually identified. Your son was found to be resting in Coffin No. 7. I realize that this is an extremely distressing letter, and it is my earnest hope that you and the members of your family will derive a measure of comfort in the knowledge that your boy’s resting place is known, and that it will be reverently and permanently maintained.”
