A MILITARY historian is seeking information about a Battle of Britain pilot from Leamington.
Robin Lucas was born on October 24 1919, at Morton House on Kenilworth Road to parents John Claude Lucas and Mrs Edith McTaggart Gordon – nee Paton of Radford Manor House near Leamington who was the widow Captain Eric Charles Schooling, killed in action in Belgium shortly after the start of the First World War while serving with 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
Robin joined the RAF on a short commission in July 1939 shortly after his parents returned from a three month cruise. He joined 141 Squadron at Prestwick on August 19 1940 flying Defiants as a Pilot Officer No 42853 and fought through the Battle of Britain as ‘one of the few’, including on September 27 1940 over the English Channel which was later commemorated on the famous painting Bitter Engagement by Robert Taylor.
During the latter part of the war he was posted to the staff at the Air Ministry on November 1 1944, going to India the following year before returning to the UK in 1946 when he left the RAF.
Robin passed away on September 29 2011, aged 91, at Petworth in West Sussex.
Anyone who can help David Eason with his research should email [email protected]
