PAYNTER, Maxwell Henry
| Service Number: | 407752 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 January 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Aircrew Holding Units (UK) |
| Born: | Westbourne Park, South Australia, 14 March 1918 |
| Home Town: | Prospect, Prospect, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Prince Alfred College |
| Occupation: | Traveller (Wood, Son, & Co.) |
| Died: | Natural causes, Sydney, New South Wales, 9 January 2007, aged 88 years |
| Cemetery: |
Castle Hill General Cemetery, NSW Lawn Cemetery, Independent Section, Row F, #4 |
| Memorials: | Prospect Methodist Church WW2 Honour Board |
World War 2 Service
| 4 Jan 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 407752, Aircrew Training Units, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Jan 1941: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 407752 | |
| 5 Jan 1941: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant, 407752, Aircrew Training Units, Empire Air Training Scheme | |
| 3 Nov 1942: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Pilot Officer, 407752, No. 612 Squadron (RAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45 | |
| 24 Jan 1946: | Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, 407752, Aircrew Holding Units (UK), 14 Aircrew Holding Unit |
A letter to Max
Dear Max,
My dad and I have spent 44 years trying to find you.
You would have known my dad as 1331723 W/O Smith.D.
You were dad's pilot from the 3rd of November 1942 until the 2nd May 1944. You flew Wellington Bombers as a part of 612 Squadron, Coastal Command, and dad was your air gunner / wireless operator.
With 612 Squadron you were briefly stationed at RAF Davidstow Moor, Cornwall, UK in 1943. I live in Cornwall and part of the air station has now been made into a museum. The Officer's squash court, and the Officer's Mess have been restored and now help to house exhibits from both World Wars. We have 19 buildings in total and even a couple of planes. It's a lovely place, built from love, passion and respect for all of you brave men and women. The reading Room has copies of all the flights made from Davidstow during WWII, I often leave the pages open on a day when you and dad would have flown from there. Dad's medals are in that room, I'm so proud of him, he was my hero. The passageway of the Officer's Mess, on the side where the kitchens and serving hatch were, is filled with photos of all you brave men. Dad's photo is there and it is my dearest wish to find your family and have a photo of you to put beside dad.
The main part of the airfield is left to nature now. The runways are still there, although with deep holes in them. On birthdays and anniversaries I drive my car up the runways and think of you all taking off for another night of flying in a plane made from metal and canvas. The buildings are still all there and you can go into them if you're careful. It is considered common ground, sheep and horses roam over it. The museum would love to be able to restore the buildings, especially the control tower, but it isn't allowed.
Dad passed away in 2011, aged 90. His ashes are buried beneath the RAF flagpole at the museum. He was my best friend and we talked about you and the rest of the crew so often. We were trying to find you until the last and I promised dad I would keep on looking. I was so sad to find that you had passed away in 2007. All those years we were looking for you, I wish you and dad could have been reunited. I am glad that you had a wife and a daughter, and that you found love after the war.
I will go on searching for your family, Max, the very least I can do is to try and reunite you and dads memory with a photo. I like to think of you both flying together again without the horror of war, and I smile whenever I hear the RAF flying overhead.
Know that you are not forgotten and that myself and all the rest of the volunteers keep your memory alive. The memory of boys who became men so quickly and were prepared to pay the ultimate price so that the generations after them could live in freedom.
God bless you Max.
Pauline
Submitted 2 September 2016 by Pauline Bajic
Biography contributed by Elsa Reuter
A Letter to Max from Pauline
Dear Max,
My dad and I have spent 44 years trying to find you.
You would have known my dad as 1331723 W/O Smith.D.
You were dad's pilot from the 3rd of November 1942 until the 2nd May 1944. You flew Wellington Bombers as a part of 612 Squadron, Coastal Command, and dad was your air gunner / wireless operator.
With 612 Squadron you were briefly stationed at RAF Davidstow Moor, Cornwall, UK in 1943. I live in Cornwall and part of the air station has now been made into a museum. The Officer's squash court, and the Officer's Mess have been restored and now help to house exhibits from both World Wars. We have 19 buildings in total and even a couple of planes. It's a lovely place, built from love, passion and respect for all of you brave men and women. The reading Room has copies of all the flights made from Davidstow during WWII, I often leave the pages open on a day when you and dad would have flown from there. Dad's medals are in that room, I'm so proud of him, he was my hero. The passageway of the Officer's Mess, on the side where the kitchens and serving hatch were, is filled with photos of all you brave men. Dad's photo is there and it is my dearest wish to find your family and have a photo of you to put beside dad.
The main part of the airfield is left to nature now. The runways are still there, although with deep holes in them. On birthdays and anniversaries I drive my car up the runways and think of you all taking off for another night of flying in a plane made from metal and canvas. The buildings are still all there and you can go into them if you're careful. It is considered common ground, sheep and horses roam over it. The museum would love to be able to restore the buildings, especially the control tower, but it isn't allowed.
Dad passed away in 2011, aged 90. His ashes are buried beneath the RAF flagpole at the museum. He was my best friend and we talked about you and the rest of the crew so often. We were trying to find you until the last and I promised dad I would keep on looking. I was so sad to find that you had passed away in 2007. All those years we were looking for you, I wish you and dad could have been reunited. I am glad that you had a wife and a daughter, and that you found love after the war.
I will go on searching for your family, Max, the very least I can do is to try and reunite you and dads memory with a photo. I like to think of you both flying together again without the horror of war, and I smile whenever I hear the RAF flying overhead.
Know that you are not forgotten and that myself and all the rest of the volunteers keep your memory alive. The memory of boys who became men so quickly and were prepared to pay the ultimate price so that the generations after them could live in freedom.
God bless you Max.
Pauline Bajic
Biography contributed by Julianne Ryan
Born 14 March 1918, Westbourne Park, South Australia.
Parents Percy Paynter and Mother Ada Louise Paynter (nee Smallwood),
in 1941 lived at 155 Napier Tce, Westbourne Park, SA (electoral role).
FROM: Family Notices: The Sydney Morning Herald, NSW - Sat 20 Nov 1954, Pg 40,
ABRAHAM Gertrude—November 19, 1954, of 48 Baringa Road, Northbridge, NSW
widow of the late Everard George Abraham, daughter of the late
Samuel and Mary Smallwood, loved sister of May, Henry, Ada (Mrs. Paynter),
Gladys (Mrs. Perriman), Dorothy (deceased), Margaret (deceased), and aunt
of Mary Esson, aged 68 years.
4/1/1941 Enlisted into WWII
U-256 on 8 Oct 1943. 03.34 hrs, Bay of Biscay, outbound:
British Wellington bomber HF190 (612 Sqn RAF/J, pilot P/O M.H. Paynter, RAAF) straddled U-256 with six depth charges in a Leigh Light attack. The boat dived and escaped unscathed. Despite flak damage to the starboard elevator and the tail turret, the Wellington reached base and landed safely. Position (47.28N, 09.36W).
Married: Beryle Paynter
Daughter: Jennifer Paynter
24/1/1946 Discharged from service
Flight Lieutenant with 14 Aircrew Holding Unit
Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 13/9/2016. Lest we forget.
(Thank you to Franks/Zimmerman - Uboat.net)
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