Branch of Service

Air Force

Conflict

World War II (1939-1945)

Date of Enlistment

21/01/1942

Date of Discharge

11/01/1946

Place of Enlistment

Sydney NSW

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

06/08/1923

Place of Birth

Neutral Bay NSW

Address (at enlistment)

Coranderrk Street, Reid ACT

School(s) Attended

Ainslie Primary School, Telopea Park School (1935-39), Canberra High School (1939-40)

Occupation

Public servant

Next of Kin

Alfred Ayrton (father), Corranderrk Street, Reid ACT

Service Number

O215096 (424528), N244252

Final Rank

Flying Officer

Final Unit

2 Personnel Depot

Ayrton was the son of Alfred Ayrton (who served in both world wars) and after finishing school at Canberra High he joined the Public Service Board. He enlisted in the army with a tank attack regiment on 21 January 1942 and was stationed in Perth when he was called up for duty with the RAAF. He was discharged from the army on 11 September 1942 and joined the RAAF the following day. He served with the RAF in the UK flying Lancaster bombers with No.9 Squadron from September 1944 until June 1945. His squadron, part of Bomber Command, flew sorties over Germany and were involved in the sinking of the German battleship, the Tirpitz in November 1944.

Ayrton lived in Yarralumla after the war and rejoined the Public Service Board, working in the Research Section developing and presenting statistics. He attained his Bachelor of Economics form Sydney University in 1953 and in 1954 he gained his commercial pilots licence. Ayrton remained in the RAAF Reserve until the beginning of 1974. He died at the Morshead War Veterans Home in Canberra on 8 October 2007.

WWII Nominal Roll http://www.ww2roll.gov.au
ACT Electoral Rolls 1916 to 1967 http://canberraheritageportal.org/default.php
NAA RecordSearch - Series A12372 RAAF Personnel files - All Ranks
The Canberra Times - 27 November 1934, 17 September 1954, 10 October 2007