Garden of England Lodge No 6583

Tel: 01732-841951

A very special member Bro William James Corbin, DFC

Bro William James Corbin, DFC

"One of The Few"

No event in our long history was more significant than ‘The Battle of Britain’, fought out in the sky over our country, particularly that of Kent, seventy years ago. Had our gallant young fighter pilots not won that battle we would almost certainly have been invaded for the first time in over 900 years, with incalculable results for us, our country and the world. One of those pilots was our Brother, Jim Corbin, now the sole survivor living in Kent. 

Jim, as he is known, was born in Maidstone in 1917. He was brought up in Bower Street and now lives in Bearsted. He has been married to Jeanne for over 54 years; they have three children, a son Brian and two daughters, Anne and Margo, and 5 grandchildren ...

Jim became a school teacher and shortly after starting his first job, in 1938, at Colyer Road School in Gravesend, he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. As a boy he had always dreamed of flying. He learned to do so at the Rochester Aerodrome and had only 20 hours flying experience under his belt when war broke out. He was Mobilised a month before war was declared and was stationed at Selwyn College, Cambridge before going on to Elementary Flying School, then to the Advanced Flying School and finally to the Operational Training Unit at Hawarden, Cheshire where he was introduced to the Spitfire. 

Sgt Pilot Corbin won the Distinguished Flying Cross 

Sgt Pilot Corbin’s first active posting was to 66 Squadron at Coltishall near Norwich where, on 29 August 1940, he first flew in the Battle of Britain. The Squadron was then moved to Kenley and shortly afterwards he was posted to 610 Squadron at Acklington, near Newcastle, and on October 15 back to 66 Squadron. During this period he saw a considerable amount of action. By now his Squadron was operating from Gravesend at the height of the Battle of Britain he was flying over Dover and Maidstone. 

At the end of the Battle of Britain the Squadron moved first to West Malling and then to Biggin Hill where he was involved in a number of dogfights. In early 1941 he was taking part in offensive sweeps over Calais, Boulogne and Dunkirk. On one occasion he was hit by flak, but managed to get the plane home in one piece. 

Later Sgt Pilot Corbin, who was nicknamed Binder, and his Squadron moved to the West Country and were involved in the first daylight raid on Brest. Other operations involved low flying over the sea to France and strafing aerodromes. While based at Exeter, Sgt Pilot Corbin and his commanding officer were credited with shooting down a Heinkel 111 bomber.

In late September 1941 he was posted, as an instructor, to RAF Llandow in South Wales, where he remained until September 1942, during which time, in June 1942, he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer. He then returned to operational duties with 72 Squadron at Ayr. The Squadron was soon moved to Gibraltar and was later involved in Operation Torch in Algiers.

Jim became a school teacher and shortly after starting his first job, in 1938, at Colyer Road School in Gravesend, he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. As a boy he had always dreamed of flying. He learned to do so at the Rochester Aerodrome and had only 20 hours flying experience under his belt when war broke out. He was Mobilised a month before war was declared and was stationed at Selwyn College, Cambridge before going on to Elementary Flying School, then to the Advanced Flying School and finally to the Operational Training Unit at Hawarden, Cheshire where he was introduced to the Spitfire.

Sgt Pilot Corbin’s first active posting was to 66 Squadron at Coltishall near Norwich where, on 29 August 1940, he first flew in the Battle of Britain. The Squadron was then moved to Kenley and shortly afterwards he was posted to 610 Squadron at Acklington, near Newcastle, and on October 15 back to 66 Squadron. During this period he saw a considerable amount of action. By now his Squadron was operating from Gravesend at the height of the Battle of Britain he was flying over Dover and Maidstone.

At the end of the Battle of Britain the Squadron moved first to West Malling and then to Biggin Hill where he was involved in a number of dogfights. In early 1941 he was taking part in offensive sweeps over Calais, Boulogne and Dunkirk. On one occasion he was hit by flak, but managed to get the plane home in one piece. 

Later Sgt Pilot Corbin, who was nicknamed Binder, and his Squadron moved to the West Country and were involved in the first daylight raid on Brest. Other operations involved low flying over the sea to France and strafing aerodromes. While based at Exeter, Sgt Pilot Corbin and his commanding officer were credited with shooting down a Heinkel 111 bomber.

In late September 1941 he was posted, as an instructor, to RAF Llandow in South Wales, where he remained until September 1942, during which time, in June 1942, he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer. He then returned to operational duties with 72 Squadron at Ayr. The Squadron was soon moved to Gibraltar and was later involved in Operation Torch in Algiers. 

A Supermarine Spitfire Mk 1 in 72 Squadron markings

At an extraordinary meeting, on Thursday the 16th September 2010, The Borough of Maidstone resolved that the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Maidstone be conferred on Jim James Corbin, DFC, in recognition of his eminent service. (See Freedom Citation wording below). 

Jim is a prominent Freemason, having been initiated in the Garden of England Lodge No. 6583 in April 1963. He was Master of the Lodge in 1976 and Secretary from 1985-1992. He received Provincial honours in 1985, being appointed as a Past Provincial Grand Registrar and promoted to Past Provincial Junior Grand Warden in 1990. In 2008 he was made an Honorary Member of the Lodge in recognition of his outstanding service to the Lodge in particular and Freemasonry in general. He was also a member of the Mid-Kent Masters’ Lodge No. 3173. 

In the Holy Royal Arch Jim was Exalted in the Duke of Kent Chapter No. 5818 in March 1969 and was its M.E.Z. in 1981. In 1987 when he was appointed Provincial Grand Sojourner and in 1994 promoted to Past Provincial Grand Registrar. In 2009 he was made an Honorary Member of the Chapter. His wife Jeanne was the youngest Daughter of E.Comp Freddie Farmer, Past Grand Standard Bearer, Past Provincial Grand Sojourner, who was the M.E.Z. of the Chapter in 1959. In 1997 he was a Founding member of the Monckton Chapter No. 9236.

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