ALLPORT, Jack Manning
| Service Number: | 18626 |
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| Enlisted: | 4 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Royal Flying Corps |
| Born: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 13 July 1895 |
| Home Town: | Mosman, Municipality of Mosman, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Church of England Grammar School |
| Occupation: | Despatch Clerk |
| Died: | Mosman, New South Wales, Australia, 20 February 1978, aged 82 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Northbridge (Shore) Sydney Church of England Grammar School Memorial Cricket Ground Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Gunner, 18626, 7th Field Artillery Brigade | |
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| 11 May 1916: | Involvement Gunner, 18626, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: '' | |
| 11 May 1916: | Embarked Gunner, 18626, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney | |
| 16 Mar 1917: | Discharged AIF WW1, Gunner, 18626, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, Discharged to the Royal Flying Corps with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant | |
| 17 Mar 1917: | Involvement Royal Flying Corps |
World War 2 Service
| 22 Jul 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Navy, Lieutenant |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Jack Manning Allport in 1895 in St Leonards, NSW. His family lived in Mosman.
Jack enlisted in early 1916, aged 20, in the 7th Field Artillery AIF. His enlistment forms stated his trade as “Motor Mechanic” and his next of Kin as his father Rolland Allport .
Jack was discharged from the 7th Field Artillery (Where he served as a "Gunner") and was appointed to the Royal Flying Corps on 16 March, 1917. Thereafter he served with 2 Squadron and 5 Squadron RFC. He flew as a pilot/observer for aerial reconnaissance and bombing missions in 2 man single-engined machines (in the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 "Big Ack", R.E. 8 , and BE.2.c) fighting alongside S.E.5a's and Sopwith "Tripes". According to his memoirs "We would quite often encounter the Albatros, Pfalz, D.F.W.'s and in the latter period, the Fokker Triplane."
Jack was awarded the Military Cross. The citation, published in the London Gazette (Issue 30643, 19 April 1918), reads:
“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On one occasion during night flying he made four trips during a period of four hours, dropping sixty bombs on his two objectives with excellent results. On a later occasion, whilst on photographing work, he was attacked by six enemy machines, but by skilful manoeuvring he enabled his observer to shoot down in flames one enemy machine, another falling to pieces in the air. On several occasions he has carried out his tasks of photographing hostile battery positions and calibrating our long-range batteries on their targets under the most unfavourable conditions and with the excellent results, showing a magnificent example to the whole squadron.”
The Sunday Times, Sydney, wrote: Captain Jack Allport, of the Royal Flying Corps, has been awarded the Military Cross. He left two years ago as gunner in the 7th Field Artillery, and he is the fourth to obtain the Military Cross from his tent. He played football with the Mosman Rugby Union Club, and rowed (for Church of England Grammar School, North Sydney) in two winning crews in the Great Public Schools' championship.
Jack survived the war and lived as a local resident and with his family seemed to enjoy the recreational activities and diving at Clifton Gardens. Between July 1942 and June 1946, he served in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve.