Kingcome was a regular in the RAF, which he had joined in 1936. After training at Cranwell and getting his wings, he joined 65 Squadron flying Gladiators from Hornchurch. He converted to Spitfires and was appointed a Flight Commander in 92 Squadron in May1940. He was active on operations before the official start date of the Battle and, in particular, shot down two He 111s and damaged a third on June 2nd.

He had a particular tactic in the Battle, in his words “to leap into the middle of them and run amok, firing at everything in sight and hitting as many as you could as often as possible.” By the end of the war, he was officially credited with 11 kills, though his real score was said to have been nearer 20. He was awarded a DFC in 1940, a Bar in 1941,and a DSO the following year, which reflected his very active career during the war. This included leading a wing of five squadrons in North Africa, Sicily and finally in Italy. At the end of the war he was a Group Captain, aged only 25.

He retired from the RAF in 1954. He died at the age of 76.