Sharkey, James Anthony (Warrant Officer, b.1920 - d.1995)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 413034 Warrant Officer James Anthony Sharkey, 17 Squadron (Royal Air Force), Royal Australian Air Force, Australia, Egypt, Rhodesia, England and India, 1941-1945.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Contains two folders of material relating to Warrant Officer James Anthony Sharkey.

Folder 1 of 2 consists of one diary of Warrant Officer Sharkey, and one typed transcript of the diary. Warrant Officer Sharkey’s diary contains entries dated between 16 August 1941 and 17 June 1945, and covers the period of his training in Australia, Africa and England, and his service as a Spitfire pilot with 17 Squadron (Royal Air Force) in Ceylon and India. In his diary, Warrant Officer Sharkey writes about setting into his training camp in Victoria, being busy with exams, getting inoculated, receiving news of his posting to Rhodesia, embarkation, missing loved ones, arriving in Egypt, seeing his first aircraft crash, having leave in Alexandria, travelling to Rhodesia, settling into a new training school, doing solo flights, taking aerial photographs, cross country flying, bombing practice, receiving his pilot qualification, travelling to New York, sightseeing, embarking for England, his impressions of Bournemouth and London, receiving letters from home, serving in Ceylon, flying in dangerous operations from India, air dropping supplies, doing air patrols over Burma, strafing enemy targets, and making preparations to be repatriated. In his diary, Warrant Officer Sharkey also includes poetry, notes on various subjects, and names and addresses of acquaintances. The transcript of the diary was created in 2001 by the son of Warrant Officer Sharkey, Mr Michael Sharkey.

Folder 2 of 2 consists of one Royal Australian Air Force Member’s pay Book of Warrant Officer Sharkey. This pay book contains entries dated between 21 August 1941 and 18 December 1942, and records information such as postings, rates of pay, earnings, next of kin, and medical details.