John Paynter (RAF officer)

Captain John De Camborne Paynter was a 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.

Early life
Paynter was born in Southsea, Hampshire on 17 May 1898. His mother was Alexandra Laura Paynter.

World War I
Paynter was injured in a flying accident on 9 April 1917. After his recovery, he flew with 9 Naval Squadron; it was while flying with them that he scored his first aerial victory on 27 October 1917. He then transferred to 13 Naval Squadron; he would remain with them through their transition to 213 Squadron RAF. On 5 December 1917, he scored a win with them.

On 1 January 1918, he was promoted from Flight Sub-Lieutenant to temporary Flight Lieutenant. 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.

While doing this, he was wounded in action on two occasions. He died on 6 June 1918 from wounds suffered during a German bombing raid on his squadron's aerodrome. He is buried in Plot IV. A. 78 in Dunkirk Town Cemetery, Belgium. He is also memorialized at Saint Peter's Church, Portsmouth, on a plaque located under the organ loft.

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."