1940, Cobber Kain and Keith Park: One Crowded Hour

Sir Keith Park beside K1, the Hurricane he flew almost daily in the Battle of Britain during World War II. (NZ Herald Archive)

The New Zealanders of the Year for 1940 are two contrasting airmen who played vital roles in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain.

The first was fighter pilot "Cobber" Kain - Flying Officer Edgar J. Kain, to be formal - who was the RAF's first ace during World War II.

Flying Hurricanes in No 73 squadron, he was a household name here and in Britain by the middle of 1940 for his exploits in the Battle of France in which he was credited with shooting down 16 or 17 enemy aircraft.

His luck ran out when, aged just 21, he was killed when he crashed his Hurricane.

The Herald said his loss was felt personally by many New Zealanders and lauded him not so much for his deeds but for the inspiration of his character. It summed him up in the words of Thomas Mordaunt:

One crowded hour of glorious life,
Is worth an age without a name

Kain's crowded hour ended just as his countryman, Air Vice-marshal Keith Park, stepped up to distinguish himself as commander of No 11 fighter group based in southern England during the Battle of Britain.

Although there was considerable debate about his tactics he was proved right.
"The responsibility he bore in adopting and directing tactics at variance with official policy during the Battle of Britain was enormous," said the Herald.

"Yet a combination of determination, practical skill and intuition can sometimes turn the scale against great odds, and history bears witness that his methods were a decisive factor in breaking the Luftwaffe assault on Britain."

These two contrasting characters - bold fighter pilot and cool air marshal - share honours as New Zealanders of the Year for 1940.

Further reading:
Biography of Keith Park, Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Biography of Edgar J. Kain, Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand