Painting, Allen John (Warrant Officer, b.1917 - d.1943)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 412673 Warrant Officer Allen John Painting, 180 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, 1941-1943, 2006.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of one typed transcript of diary of Warrant Officer Allen John Painting, created by Warrant Officer Painting’s nephew, Mr Daryl Thompson, in April 2006. The diary entries are dated between October 1941 and November 1943, and cover the period of Warrant Officer Painting’s training in Australia and Canada, and service as a wireless air gunner with 180 Squadron, based in the United Kingdom. In his diary entries, Warrant Officer Painting writes about enlistment, embarkation, travelling across the Pacific Ocean, arriving in Canada, doing a wireless course, travelling and sightseeing while on leave, working as a wireless operator instructor, attending social events, drinking beer, and doing further training. He then goes on to write about travelling to England, recreational activities, experiencing an enemy air raid, buying and maintaining an old car, having an injured leg, receiving his posting to 180 Squadron, attending lectures, and doing practice flights. This transcript also contains a prologue, epilogue and contextual notes written by Mr Daryl Thompson.

Warrant Officer Allen John Painting enlisted to the Royal Australian Air Force on 20 July 1941. After a short period of elementary training, he travelled to Canada for further training under the Empire Air Training Scheme. In March 1943, Warrant Officer painting travelled to England for operational training. He went on to serve as a wireless air gunner with 180 Squadron. On 26 November 1943, during his first operational flight, Warrant Officer Painting was killed when his aircraft was shot down near Cherbourg, Normandy, France. He is buried at Cherbourg Old Communal Cemetery.