Kain, Edgar James Military aviator This biography, written by Paul Harrison, was first published in the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography in 2000.

Known throughout the British Empire in 1940 as ‘Cobber’ Kain the fighter ace, Edgar James Kain was born on 27 June 1918 at Hastings, the son of Nellie Maria Keen and her husband, George William Reginald Kain, a warehouseman. Shortly afterwards the family moved to Wellington. Edgar’s early education was at the Wellington Diocesan Boys’ School at Days Bay, where he exhibited natural leadership. In 1933 he commenced secondary schooling as a boarder at Christ’s College, Christchurch. Here he began to show a keen interest in military aviation, watching aircraft from the Royal New Zealand Air Force station at Wigram. A good sportsman, he represented thecollege in rugby, rowing and shooting, and excelled in athletics. He left college without matriculating in 1935.

Kain joined the Wellington Aero Club in 1936 and quickly showed promise as a trainee pilot, flying solo after only 7 hours and 20 minutes of instruction. He gained an ‘A’ pilot’s licence at Wigram later that year. He worked for a time as a clerk in his father’s merchant business, but flying became his first passion, and entry to the Royal Air Force his one ambition. In late 1936 Kain’s father sailed to England on business, accompanied by Edgar, his mother and a sister. On arrival Edgar approached the Air Ministry for a short-service commission, but failed the medical as his blood pressure was a little high. To improve his general