John Paynter (RAF officer)
| John De Camborne Paynter | |
|---|---|
| Born |
17 May 1898 Southsea, Hampshire, England |
| Died |
6 June 1918 (aged 20) (DOW) Bergues, France |
| Buried at | Plot IV. A 78, Dunkirk Town Cemetery, Nord, France (51°01′45″N 2°23′18″E / 51.02917°N 2.38833°ECoordinates: 51°01′45″N 2°23′18″E / 51.02917°N 2.38833°E) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
Royal Navy Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1916–1918 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit |
No. 6 Naval Squadron RNAS No. 10 Naval Squadron RNAS No. 9 Naval Squadron RNAS No. 13 Naval Squadron/No. 213 Squadron RAF |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross |
Captain John De Camborne Paynter DSC (17 May 1898 – 6 June 1918) was a British World War I Royal Naval Air Service flying ace credited with 10 aerial victories. He earned the Distinguished Service Cross for his valour before being killed in a bombing raid.[1]
Early life
Paynter was born in Southsea, Hampshire, on 17 May 1898. His mother was Alexandra Laura Paynter.[1]
World War I
Paynter joined the RNAS in early 1916 as a probationary temporary flight sub-lieutenant, and was confirmed in his rank on 25 June 1916.[2]
He served in both No. 6 and No. 10 Naval Squadrons, before being injured in a flying accident on 9 April 1917. After his recovery, he flew with No. 9 Naval Squadron; it was while flying with them that he scored his first aerial victory on 27 October 1917. He then transferred to No. 13 Naval Squadron; he would remain with them through their transition to No. 213 Squadron RAF. On 5 December 1917, he scored a win with them.[1]
On 1 January 1918, he was promoted to flight lieutenant.[3] He also scored three wins in the early months of 1918. After a break, he scored the remainder of his victories in May and early June 1918.[1] While doing this, he was wounded in action on two occasions.
Paynter died on 6 June 1918 from wounds suffered during a German bombing raid on his squadron's aerodrome at Bergues.[1][4][5] He is buried in Plot IV. A. 78 in Dunkirk Town Cemetery, France.[6] He is also memorialised at Saint Peter's Church, Somerstown, Portsmouth, on a plaque located under the organ loft.[7]
Distinguished Service Cross
As his award citation shows, Paynter performed admirably in air-to-ground combat as well as in the air:
For the good work performed by him during a bombing attack on Ostende Seaplane Base on the 3rd March, 1918, carried out in spite of very adverse weather conditions. He has shown great zeal and courage as a fighting pilot, having destroyed several enemy machines, and been twice wounded in aerial combats.[8]
List of aerial victories
| No. | Date/time | Aircraft | Foe | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 9 Naval Squadron RNAS | ||||||
| 1 | 27 October 1917 10:40 |
Sopwith Camel (B3830) |
Albatros D.V fighter | Driven down out of control | Slijpe, Belgium | Shared with Captain Stearne T. Edwards, Flight Commander Harold Stackard, Flight Lieutenant Fred E. Banbury, and Flight Sub-Lieutenants Francis Mellersh, John P. Hales, C. A. Narbeth, Arthur W. Wood, & Merrill S. Taylor. |
| No. 13 Naval Squadron RNAS | ||||||
| 2 | 5 December 1917 15:05 |
Sopwith Camel (B6391) |
Albatros reconnaissance aircraft | Destroyed | 4 miles northwest of Wenduine | Shared with Flight Sub-Lieutenants John W. Pinder, George C. MacKay, & Maurice L. Cooper |
| 3 | 29 January 1918 14:00 |
Sopwith Camel (B3782) |
Seaplane | Destroyed | 100 yards from the pier at Blankenberghe, Belgium | Shared with Flight Commander Leonard H. Slatter, and Flight Sub-Lieutenants John E. Greene, George C. MacKay, & Maurice L. Cooper |
| 4 | 30 January 1918 14:20 |
Sopwith Camel (B3782) |
Albatros reconnaissance aircraft | Destroyed | 2 miles north of Ostend | Shared with Flight Commander Miles Day |
| 5 | 19 February 1918 13:55 |
Sopwith Camel (B3782) |
Seaplane | Destroyed by fire | East of Ostend | Shared with Flight Commander Miles Day, and Flight Sub-Lieutenants J. C. Stovin, E. V. Bell, & G. D. Smith |
| No. 213 Squadron RAF | ||||||
| 6 | 6 May 1918 19:50 |
Sopwith Camel (B7254) |
Albatros D.V fighter | Destroyed | Wenduine, Belgium | |
| 7 | 8 May 1918 19:50 |
Sopwith Camel (B7254) |
Albatros D.V fighter | Destroyed | Wenduine, Belgium | |
| 8 | Albatros D.V fighter | Driven down out of control | ||||
| 9 | 1 June 1918 14:20 |
Sopwith Camel (B7254) |
Pfalz D.III fighter | Driven down out of control | Bruges, Belgium | Shared with Lieutenants G. D. Smith, C. H. Denny, F. L. Cuttle & P. L. Jenner |
| 10 | Pfalz D.III fighter | Driven down out of control | Shared with Lieutenant G. D. Smith | |||
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "John De Camborne Paynter". The Aerodrome. 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 29853. p. 11969. 8 December 1916.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30451. pp. 88–89. 28 December 1917.
- ↑ "The Roll of Honour: Died of Wounds". Flight. X (496): 712. 27 June 1918. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
- ↑ "213 Squadron". Royal Air Force. 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
- ↑ "Casualty Details: Paynter, J. De C.". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
- ↑ Backhouse, Tim (2010). "St Peter's Church (WWI)". Memorials and Monuments in Portsmouth. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30635. p. 4647. 16 April 1918.