The Airmen's Stories - P/O A C Cochrane

Arthur Charles Cochrane was born in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada on 27th April 1919, the son of Arthur Ormiston Cochrane (1879-1926) and of Helen Rose Cochrane (nee Christian 1885-1960).

He was educated at Vernon High School.

He was at 3 E&RFTS Hamble in April 1939, as a candidate for a short service commission. With training completed at 8 FTS Montrose and 14 FTS Kimloss, Cochrane joined 263 Squadron on 13th April 1940.

If he took part in the Norwegian campaign this has not been recorded as 263 Squadron’s records of the time were destroyed.

Above image Cochrane family via Diana Domai.

Cochrane was posted to 257 Squadron at Hendon on 23rd May, where it was being reformed. The squadron became operational on 1st July and moved to Northolt.

On 8th August Cochrane claimed a Me109 destroyed, on the 12th he damaged a He111, on the 18th he probably destroyed a Do17 and damaged another, on the 31st shot down a Me110, on 7th September he claimed a Do17 destroyed and on the 15th he shared a Do17 and a He111.

Above: his portrait was made by Cuthbert Orde

On the 15th Cochrane was badly injured in a car accident and spent some months in hospital.

July 2026 - a family member writes from Canada: Hi there, just want to let you know that AC Cochrane was hospitalized for injuries due to bailing out of his plane in late September 1940 and not from a car accident.

I’ve included a newspaper article from His hometown of Vernon that shows this, so that you can make a correction .

VERNON NEWS
17 OCTOBER 1940
VERNON AIRMAN SHOT DOWN BUT “BAILED OUT” TO SAFETY

When listening to news dispatches over the radio stating the numbers of Royal Air Force fighter planes have been shot down in combat with German raiders but that pilots of many of them had parachuted to safety, listeners in this city probably have wondered if Vernon boys serving with the R.A.F. have gone through this experience.

Through word received here this week by Mrs. A.O. Cochrane such has been the case with her son Pilot Officer A.C. “Jimmy” Cochrane.

He was shot down during air operations late last month but he managed to “bail out” to safety although in landing he suffered face and leg injuries. The letter telling of the incident he wrote from hospital somewhere in the Old Country.

Pilot Officer Cochrane, who went overseas in February, 1939 has encountered a wide variety of experiences, while serving with the air force. Not long ago his mother received word that he has accounted for four raiding German machines.

His brother, Pilot Officer Homer Cochrane, is serving with the R.A.F. in Egypt.

Note: The 257 Squadron ORB makes no mention of this but the 15th September was a hectic day, on the 16th it records that Cochrane was 'posted to Debden'.

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Cochrane joined 87 Squadron at Charmy Down in August 1942, as a Flight Commander.

He went to North Africa with the squadron in November 1942. On 22nd January 1943 Cochrane was scrambled from Djidelli in the early morning. Although it was still dark, he found and shot down a SM79 into the sea.

Awarded the DFC (gazetted 30th March 1943), Cochrane failed to return from a patrol on 31st March 1943. His Hurricane IIc HW619 went down in the vicinity of Cap Bougeron, Tunis.

He was 24 and is commemorated on the Malta Memorial.