Top Gun pilot was a hero of the skies

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This was published 7 years ago

Top Gun pilot was a hero of the skies

By Penelope Daley and Peter Allen
Updated


"John Allen greets me warmly as I walk up to his door on a hot Melbourne afternoon. 'How are you John?' I ask him. 'I've just got out of hospital', he tells me cheerily. 'Pleurisy, heart attack, pneumonia – apart from that, I'm fine!' ". This is how Michael Veitch starts his chapter documenting Allen's war experiences in his book Heroes of the Skies.

This captures the essence of a man who despite his age was alert and interested in the world around him, enjoying new opportunities and finding the best in everything.

World War II pilot John Allen.

World War II pilot John Allen.

John Cyril Allen was born in Cambridge, England. At age 8, he successfully auditioned for the St John's College Choir. Allen moved on to Cambridge and Country High School for Boys for a more rigorous academic education.

He joined the youth-in-training program at the Post Office Engineering Department where he learnt how to maintain the new automatic telephone exchanges and then applied to the Observer Corp Network at the RAF aerodromes.

Alternating between teleprinter training, maintenance and the observer corps enabled him to secure and relay messages about enemy aircraft. Watching the enemy bomber planes coming in over the town fuelled his determination to fly.

World War II made a significant impact on his life. At 19, he volunteered for flying duties in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. He was called up for training as a FAA cadet at HMS St Vincent, Gosport. And so began his training and selection as a pilot, for the dangerous and challenging task of flying planes off aircraft carriers in high seas. He flew eight types of aircraft for mock bombings, torpedo attacks and deck landings. He was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant SUB (A), RNVR.

In the war, he flew and landed on carriers in the Sth East Asian Command – Trinka Malee - "China Bay" in Sri Lanka and in Malaya, Thailand, Indonesia and Burma. He and his fellow pilots protected the fleets against kamikaze attacks, mine sweepers and fly-over bombings and staff fighting.

Allen always said his favourite plane was a Hellcat, his grandsons always teased him that it was his favourite because he was able to do acrobatics in it and show-off.

He rarely spoke about his war experiences until later years when his family became more interested in his stories. The retelling was emotional but cathartic for him.

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After the war, Allen was accepted as "Top Gun" flight trainer with the Australian Navy. Unfortunately, the government then decided to sell Australia's only aircraft carrier and his services were not required.

He gained a position as a drilling production trainee with the Royal Dutch Shell Group in Seria, Brunei. He worked on the jungle oil rigs for four years. He lived with three other trainees in a pre-war wooden bungalow (no windows, just shutters). There was no hot water for three years but they did have two servants – a Chinese Malay cook and a house boy. This was the beginning of a 12-year stay in Borneo.

Allen was supervisor of oil and gas-well repair and maintenance. He was familiar and comfortable with the multicultural work force around him. He learnt to speak Malay and worked with many European expats, Chinese, Malays, Indians, and Dyaks. He was in charge of a small production training school teaching English, arithmetic and basic geology to the local labour workforce.

He and his fellow pilots protected the fleets against kamikaze attacks, mine sweepers and fly-over bombings and staff fighting.

One night on returning from an evening at the outdoor cinema, he found six Dyaks with swords and minimal clothing, sitting on the floor in his lounge room. They were inquisitive about how a white man lived. After smoking some cigarettes and basic Malay conversation they returned to the jungle.

During his first few years in Borneo, he had a holiday in Melbourne where he met his wife Faye. They were married in 1955 in Weymouth, England then returned to Borneo and set up a new home.

Their daughter Penelope was born in Kuala Belait Hospital, but soon after the three returned to Australia and he began working for Heatane Gas (Part of the Gas and Fuel Corporation). A son, Peter, was born a short time later.

They bought a house in the outer suburb of Mt Waverley, at the time a semi-rural location. It remains the family home to this day.

At Heatane Gas, Allen was responsible for the development and conversion of cars, trucks, taxis and tankers from petrol to gas. He also installed gas heating in the walk-through butterfly enclosure at Melbourne Zoo.

He lived to age 94 and is survived by his wife Faye, daughter Penelope, son Peter and grandsons Tim and Marcus.

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