James Clifton Edmeston Robinson was born in August 1917 to James and Ruth Robinson of Colwyn Bay, Wales. James the elder was a mechanical engineer. The family had four daughters before young James came along. James C E was educated at Oundle School, where he was a House Prefect. In 1936 he went up to Christ’s College, Cambridge, where he read Engineering and joined the University Air Squadron.
After gaining his BA degree in Engineering, James began working as a mechanical engineer. He was called to full-time RAF service in November 1939. He completed his flying training at the flying training school at Cranwell. After operational training and converting to Hurricanes he was posted to No.1 Squadron in September 1940, straight into the Battle of Britain.
On 21 May 1941, James was part of a ‘Circus’ operation over Northern France, escorting some bombers on a sweep, hoping to draw German aircraft out to fight. His aircraft was attacked over the Channel and he was never seen again.
As his body was not recovered, his name is carved on CWGC’s Runnymede Memorial.
He was 23 years old.
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