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Photograph of Sunderland flying boat flying over the English Coast, WWII
[nb-NO]Object number[nb-NO]M2006/056:003
[nb-NO]Title[nb-NO]Photograph of Sunderland flying boat flying over the English Coast, WWII
[nb-NO]Description[nb-NO]Black and white photograph of the Sunderland flying boat flying over the English Coast during WWII. This Sunderland was used by Captain Julius Allan Cohen in his rescue of Lord Gort from Rabat, French Morocco. The photograph was taken by Con Gehrig, Group Captain Cohen's flight engineer on the trip.
Julius Alan Cohen, who later changed his name to Richard Kingsland, was born in Moree, rural New South Wales and educated at Sydney High School. By the age of 18 he had received his wings in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), making him one of its youngest flyers. He is also known for being the youngest Australian RAAF Group Captain, aged 29 years old. He received many awards, decorations and accolades for his rescue of the British Command-in-Chief, Field Marshall Lord Gort and Minister of Information, Sir Alfred Duff Cooper from Vichy occupied Morocco in June 1940.
Julius had flown his Sunderland flying boat to Morocco, mooring it on the river Rabat. He blew the lock off the cell door that was holding Lord Gort and the Duff Cooper, allowing them to escape back to the Sunderland, which was then surrounded by Police. Julius started all four engines of the aircraft simultaneously and piloted it down the narrow river, while being chased by police boats. He got the aircraft airborne and to the safety of Gibraltar. For this he received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
He continued to be involved in close actions with the enemy while serving with the Royal Air Force on convoy duty over the Atlantic and then later with the RAAF in New Guinea.
After leaving the RAAF in 1948, he went on to a career in public administration as Richard Kingsland. He was knighted in 1978 after having been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1967 and recognised as an officer of the Order of Australia in 1989.
He passed away in 2012, survived by his wife Kathleen and three children.
This image is part of a NAJEX collection of prints of photographs and drawings from the Australian Jewry's Book of Honour World War II, published 1974.
Julius Alan Cohen, who later changed his name to Richard Kingsland, was born in Moree, rural New South Wales and educated at Sydney High School. By the age of 18 he had received his wings in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), making him one of its youngest flyers. He is also known for being the youngest Australian RAAF Group Captain, aged 29 years old. He received many awards, decorations and accolades for his rescue of the British Command-in-Chief, Field Marshall Lord Gort and Minister of Information, Sir Alfred Duff Cooper from Vichy occupied Morocco in June 1940.
Julius had flown his Sunderland flying boat to Morocco, mooring it on the river Rabat. He blew the lock off the cell door that was holding Lord Gort and the Duff Cooper, allowing them to escape back to the Sunderland, which was then surrounded by Police. Julius started all four engines of the aircraft simultaneously and piloted it down the narrow river, while being chased by police boats. He got the aircraft airborne and to the safety of Gibraltar. For this he received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
He continued to be involved in close actions with the enemy while serving with the Royal Air Force on convoy duty over the Atlantic and then later with the RAAF in New Guinea.
After leaving the RAAF in 1948, he went on to a career in public administration as Richard Kingsland. He was knighted in 1978 after having been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1967 and recognised as an officer of the Order of Australia in 1989.
He passed away in 2012, survived by his wife Kathleen and three children.
This image is part of a NAJEX collection of prints of photographs and drawings from the Australian Jewry's Book of Honour World War II, published 1974.
[nb-NO]Date[nb-NO] 1939 - 1945
[nb-NO]Object name[nb-NO]photographs
[nb-NO]Material[nb-NO]photographic emulsion, photographic emulsion, paper, paper
[nb-NO]Dimensions[nb-NO]
- height: 163.00 mm
width: 214.00 mm
[nb-NO]Credit line[nb-NO]Sydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Julius Epstein via the NSW Association of Jewish Service & Ex-Service Men & Women (NAJEX)