march june australian aviator flying ace second world war enlisting royal_australian_air_force november briefly served transferring malta months officially credited destruction axis aircraft total operational sorties england assigned flying instructor collaborated writing malta book experiences island returning australia killed flying accident june year early life born queensland march solicitor wife née sullivan educated moving college later leaving school studied time simultaneously employed law clerk brisbane second world war november enlisted royal_australian_air_force service second world war accepted pilot training received initial flight instruction australia later embarked canada completed flight training posted united_kingdom august appointed graduating course allotted squadron raf time advanced temporary flight sergeant january prior receiving posting following month malta arrival mediterranean posted squadron raf march pilots sent island malta flying party took aircraft carrier spend months defence island axis forces commenced major aerial assault malta later month allied fighter pilots island forced contend fatigue inadequate rations battling enemy superior forces march claimed aerial victory shot april added aircraft tally destroyed bringing later day praised determined courageous pilot subsequently recommended distinguished flying medal announcement accompanying citation award published supplement london gazette reading 22nd royal_air_force king pleased approve following awards recognition gallantry displayed flying operations enemy distinguished flying medal royal_australian_air_force squadron determined courageous pilot exceptional shot presses home attacks destroyed enemy aircraft damaged scored aerial victories following day general ordered contingent small escort fighter aircraft bomb malta formation royal_air_force aircraft dispatched intercept group attacking later recorded aircraft huge flying direction battle total german aircraft shot loss engagement day wounded left arm commissioned pilot officer later month conclusion combat tour july flown total operational sorties credited destroying axis aircraft malta probably destroyed damaged efforts destruction axis aircraft period awarded decoration published supplement london gazette october later war service death embarking malta july returned united_kingdom posted operational training unit instructor rank acting flight lieutenant period fellow squadron pilot pilot officer collaborated journalist writing malta novel relating experiences time malta april repatriated united_kingdom returned australia arriving australia posted newly raised squadron based victoria later month squadron ordered deploy near new_guinea time related previous combat experiences fellow pilots commanding officer squadron leader noted appeared strained tired advance party squadron moved month pilots followed june june pilots squadron continued journey north arriving airfield queensland approximately landed wake aircraft ahead touched left runway informed cutting path following land right runway landed aircraft short conclusion landing run turned path second ensuing collision sustained severe injuries rushed hospital died arrival described easy going nature engaging sense humour loyal friends buried war cemetery
Virgil Brennan