He later became a senior public servant, heading the Departments of the Interior, Repatriation, and Veterans' Affairs.
[citation needed] Kingsland flew a Short Sunderland to Morocco in 1940 with two of Britain's senior WWII leaders, Duff Cooper and John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, who were attempting to make a diplomatic agreement with French leaders in North Africa.
He then managed a difficult take off from a river estuary, while being harassed by a French police boat.
[3] Later in the war he served in the Pacific, flying the PBY Catalina to bomb a major Japanese headquarters in Rabaul, New Guinea.
[5] During his public service career, rising to become Secretary of the Departments of Interior, Repatriation, and Veterans' Affairs, Kingsland served 12 ministers and built a reputation as a trusted and experienced departmental head.