William Kinane
KINANE, William (Bill), (1917-1939)
Bill Kinane was born in Subiaco on August 23, 1917, the son of accountant William Robert Kinane and his wife Mary Kinane, née Long. One of five children, he was a talented athlete and was the 1934 interschool high jump champion. He was also a bright scholar, with his secondary schooling being at CBC Perth where he won the Science Medal. In 1935 he enrolled in Engineering at the University of Western Australia.
Wishing to be trained as a pilot, he deferred his engineering studies and in January 1936 he commenced training with the RAAF in the eastern states. After successfully completing twelve months of training, he signed up with the RAAF for a five year term. He was sent to England and was attached to the Royal Air Force 218th Squadron. Flying Officer Kinane was flying a light bomber on a training exercise in Bedfordshire when it experienced turbulence, struck a high tension power line and crashed. He died in the crash on August 11, 1939, and was buried in the nearby village of Cranfield, Bedfordshire.
References:
Daily Mirror, 12.8.1939, p1
West Australian, 14.8.1939, p17
Perth Now, 29.7.2018
