After leaving school, he worked in his uncle's general store before enlisting in the Royal New Zealand Air Force in September 1940.

[4] After attending an instructors' school, Cochrane spent the next 18 months teaching others how to fly multi-engined aircraft and was then posted to No.

Over the next 11 months he flew two tours for a total of 55 operations on Lancasters and was frequently the master bomber, directing the markers and main force as he circled the target.

[3] His citation read in part that Cochrane was a cool and courageous captain and pilot, whose fine qualities of leadership and determination have been well instilled in many operations against the enemy.

On the night of 7/8 February 1945, he controlled the bombing of two fortified towns standing in the path of British troops massing to cross the German frontier.