▁ ▁( 6 ▁March ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁– ▁ 1 3 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 3 ), ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁Paul ▁B ren nan , ▁was ▁an ▁Australian ▁av i ator ▁and ▁flying ▁ace ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁En list ing ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Australian ▁Air ▁Force ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁he ▁briefly ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁European ▁Theatre ▁before ▁transfer ring ▁to ▁Mal ta . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁five ▁months , ▁B ren nan ▁was ▁officially ▁cred ited ▁with ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁ 1 0 ▁A xis ▁aircraft ▁from ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁twenty - four ▁oper ational ▁sort ies . ▁Re post ed ▁to ▁England , ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁a ▁flying ▁instruct or ▁and ▁collabor ated ▁in ▁the ▁writing ▁of ▁Sp it f ires ▁over ▁Mal ta , ▁a ▁book ▁about ▁his ▁experiences ▁on ▁the ▁island . ▁Return ing ▁to ▁Australia ▁during ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁B ren nan ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁a ▁flying ▁accident ▁at ▁Gar but t , ▁Queensland , ▁in ▁June ▁that ▁year . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁B ren nan ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁War wick , ▁Queensland , ▁on ▁ 6 ▁March ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁to ▁Ed gar ▁James ▁B ren nan , ▁a ▁solic itor , ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁K atherine ▁( née ▁O ' S ull ivan ). ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁the ▁Christian ▁Brothers ' ▁School ▁in ▁War wick , ▁before ▁moving ▁on ▁to ▁Down lands ▁College ▁at ▁To owo om ba ▁and