Kenneth Edward Hepburn was born in Heidelberg, Victoria on 9 August 1924 to Edward Andrew Hepburn and Minnie Evelyn (nee Sparrow). His father was a great-grandson of Thomas and Ann Stone.
He was a first year Engineering student at Melbourne University when he enlisted in the R.A.A.F. on 1 January 1943.
Kenneth was stationed at RAAF No. 2 Operational Training Unit (2OTU) Mildura when he was killed in a flying accident near Wentworth on 14 December 1944.
During the Second World War, Wentworth and the surrounding Shire hosted a number of practice bombing ranges for use by the RAAF’s No.2 Operational Training Base, based at the Mildura Airport. These sites included the Perry Sandhills, The Mock Battleship, Lake Victoria, Lake Gol Gol and the White Cliffs State Forest. 52 Pilots and Ground crew were killed during the period of training in the region and are marked by memorial plaque stones at each of the respective sites.
Kenneth was flying Kittyhawk A29-176 which had been issued to 77 Squadron and on 27/2/44 it caught fire at Vivigani strip, Goodenough Island. After repair it was received by 2 OTU on 10/10/44.
While he was involved in a dive bombing exercise at Wentworth it went into a spiral dive from an estimated 2,000 feet and never recovered, disintegrating on impact.
Kenneth was buried in the Mildura War cemetery on 16 December 1944. The service was conducted by Flight Lieutenant Milligan of the Presbyterian Church.
