Richard Kingsland
{{Short description|Australian RAAF pilot}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Sir Richard Kingsland
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Julius Allan Cohen
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1916|10|19|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Moree, New South Wales
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2012|8|27|1916|10|19}}
| death_place = Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
| placeofburial =
| allegiance = Australia
| branch = Royal Australian Air Force
| serviceyears = 1935–1948
| rank = Group Captain
| servicenumber =
| unit =
| commands = RAAF Base Rathmines
No. 11 Squadron RAAF
| battles =
{{tree list}}
{{tree list/end}}
| awards = Knight Bachelor
Officer of the Order of Australia
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Flying Cross
| relations =
| laterwork =
}}
Sir Richard Kingsland, {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|AO|CBE|DFC}} (19 October 1916 – 27 August 2012) was an Australian RAAF pilot known for being the youngest Australian group captain at age 29. He later became a senior public servant, heading the Departments of the Interior, Repatriation, and Veterans' Affairs.
Biography
Julius Allan Cohen was born in 1916. He later changed his name to Richard Kingsland, to avoid anti-semitism.{{cn|date=May 2022}}
Kingsland flew a Short Sunderland to Morocco in 1940 with two of Britain's senior WWII leaders, Duff Cooper and John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, who were attempting to make a diplomatic agreement with French leaders in North Africa. When negotiations failed, Kingsland evacuated the VIPs with pistol drawn. He then managed a difficult take off from a river estuary, while being harassed by a French police boat.Evans, Bryn - Airmen's Incredible Escapes'' 2020 ISBN 9781526761729{{cite news|title=Sir Richard Kingsland dies in Canberra|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/sir-richard-kingsland-dies-in-canberra-20120828-24yml.html|publisher=Fairfax Media|archivedate=17 January 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140117085832/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/sir-richard-kingsland-dies-in-canberra-20120828-24yml.html|first=David|last=Ellery|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=28 August 2012}}
For his invaluable service, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in September 1940.{{cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1143403 |title=It's an Honour – Honours – Search Australian Honours |publisher=Itsanhonour.gov.au |date=1940-09-13 |accessdate=2012-09-26}} Later in the war he served in the Pacific, flying the PBY Catalina to bomb a major Japanese headquarters in Rabaul, New Guinea.{{cite web|title=Boys Own adventures in wartime and sterling public service|date=28 August 2012 |url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/obituaries/boys-own-adventures-in-wartime-and-sterling-public-service-20120828-24yol.html|publisher=The age.com|accessdate=September 1, 2012}}
In June 2010, he published his autobiography, Into the Midst of Things.{{cite web|title=Kingsland's Into the Midst of Things book|url=http://airpower.airforce.gov.au/publications/Details/419/Into-the-Midst-of-Things.aspx|publisher=Royal Australian Airforce|accessdate=September 1, 2012}}
Public service
During his public service career, rising to become Secretary of the Departments of Interior, Repatriation, and Veterans' Affairs, Kingsland served 12 ministers and built a reputation as a trusted and experienced departmental head.
Awards and honours
Richard Kingsland was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1967.{{cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1064738 |title=It's an Honour – Honours – Search Australian Honours |publisher=Itsanhonour.gov.au |date=19 June 1967|accessdate=26 September 2012}} He was knighted in 1978,{{cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1083397 |title=It's an Honour – Honours – Search Australian Honours |publisher=Itsanhonour.gov.au |date=1978-06-03 |accessdate=2012-09-26}} and appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1989.{{cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/872599 |title=It's an Honour – Honours – Search Australian Honours |publisher=Itsanhonour.gov.au |date=1989-06-12 |accessdate=2012-09-26}}
In 2013, a street in the Canberra suburb of Casey was named Kingsland Parade in Richard Kingsland's honour.{{citation|url=http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/tools_resources/place_search3?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkYyMDMuOS4yNDkuMyUyRlBsYWNlTmFtZXMlMkZQbGFjZURldGFpbHMuYXNweCUzRm9iamVjdElEJTNENjYyNTcmYWxsPTE%3D |title=Kingsland Parade |publisher=ACT Government Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate |archivedate=27 February 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227135848/http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/tools_resources/place_search3?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkYyMDMuOS4yNDkuMyUyRlBsYWNlTmFtZXMlMkZQbGFjZURldGFpbHMuYXNweCUzRm9iamVjdElEJTNENjYyNTcmYWxsPTE%3D |url-status=dead }}
Death
Richard Kingsland died in August 2012, aged 95. He was survived by his wife of 68 years, Kathleen Kingsland, two daughters and a son.{{citation|url=http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/kingsland-sir-richard-15849|archivedate=17 January 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140117085529/http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/kingsland-sir-richard-15849|url-status=live|first=John|last=Farquharson|author-link=John Farquharson (journalist)|title=Kingsland, Sir Richard (1916–2012)|publisher=Australian National University|date=2012}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{s-start}}
{{S-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=Bill McLaren}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of the Interior|years=1963–1970}}
{{s-aft|after=George Warwick Smith}}
{{s-bef|before=Frederick Oliver Chilton}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Repatriation Department|years=1970–1974}}
{{s-aft|after=Himself|as=Secretary of the Department of Repatriation and Compensation}}
{{s-bef|before=Himself|as=Secretary of the Repatriation Department}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Repatriation and Compensation|years=1974–1975}}
{{s-aft|after=Himself|as=Secretary of the Department of Repatriation}}
{{s-bef|before=Himself|as=Secretary of the Department of Repatriation and Compensation}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Repatriation|years=1975–1976}}
{{s-aft|after=Himself|as=Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs}}
{{s-bef|before=Himself|as=Secretary of the Department of Repatriation}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Veterans' Affairs|years=1976–1981}}
{{s-aft|after=Derek Volker}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kingsland, Richard}}
Category:Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Australian Knights Bachelor
Category:Australian World War II bomber pilots
Category:Australian World War II pilots
Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Officers of the Order of Australia
Category:Australian recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
Category:Royal Australian Air Force officers
Category:Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II
Category:Secretaries of the Australian Government Veterans' Affairs Department