Our ceremony today was a short version as we were missing some key people. It had an RAF theme.
Malcolm Head read a war poem entitled ‘To The RAF’ by Alfred Noyes.
We remembered Brookwood Resident John Frederick Painter, DFC:
John was born around 1918 and lived at 175 Connaught Road, then known as ‘Maryland’. His father was the coal merchant. He joined the Royal Air Force and he became a Flying Officer with No 102 Squadron of Bomber Command.
On 22nd October 1940 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in recognition of gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations. This was probably given at the end of a tour of operations, perhaps the one when the squadron was loaned to Coastal Command. They spent six weeks in September – October 1940 carrying out convoy escort duties from Prestwick.
Soon after, however, on 7th November 1940, John’s plane was shot down and he was killed. He was just 22 years old. He is buried in Brookwood Cemetery in St. Matthew’s Avenue.
We will remember them.
Afterwards we had a short social session at The Trench Experience.
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