Milne was originally from Sydney and trained in Australia as a pilot.

He was later posted to the UK where he flew Spitfires with 504 Squadron (City of Nottingham, RAF) with the Hornchurch Essex Wing, mostly on bomber escorts and Air Defence. Whilst at the RAF Station Peterhead, Scotland, he was married on the 24th of March 1944 to Pat, a Section Officer WAAF.

Posted back to Australia and 20TU, Mildura, he was killed while flying Kittyhawk A29-186 that collided in a mid-air with Kittyhawk A29-167 piloted by W/O Norman Hammond (419804) during gunnery exercises over Wentworth bombing range on the 16th of February 1945.

His wife departed England for Australia that very day and did not hear about the accident until her ship reached Colon, Panama Canal.

F/Lt. Robert Milne aged 22 was buried in the Mildura War Cemetery on February 20, 1945

Acknowledgement – Mrs Patricia Doyle, QLD.