LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Malcolm Turner Wellesley PAIN
Service No: 420253
Born: Parramatta NSW, 3 January 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 11 October 1941
Unit: No. 615 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 615 Squadron Spitfire aircraft MD292), Bangladesh, 10 August 1944, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Chittagong War Cemetery, Bangladesh
CWGC Additional Information: Son of the Revd. Kenneth Wellesley Pain, M.A., and Maisie Octavia Pain, of Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Wahroonga NSW
Remembered: Panel 128, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: St Paul’s War Memorial Wall, Wahroonga NSW
On 10 August 1944, Spitfire MD292 flown by Flying Officer Pain, was flying No. 2 to Squadron Leader David William McCormack DFC & Bar MID (400232) Commanding Officer of No. 615 Squadron and leader of a formation of 16 aircraft from the Squadron flying from Patel to Baigichi. MD292 did not arrive at its destination and Flying Officer Pain was reported missing.
In a statement on the accident, Flight Lieutenant Gannan said: “Flying Officer Pain was flying No. 2 in a formation of 16 aircraft from the Squadron travelling from Patel to Baigachi. When slightly south west of Jessore, bad weather was noticed and the Squadron climbed to avoid it. At a height of 6/7,000 feet the Squadron entered this grey wispy cloud which developed suddenly into dark grey to black monsoon cloud. The entire Squadron split up due to the extreme bumpy condition. I was leading the Section on the starboard of the Commanding Officer and noticed that Pain was flying rather unsteadily in cloud. The entire Squadron split up due to the bumpy conditions, and in my opinion Pain lost control of his aircraft and was unable to regain control it in time to prevent a crash. Nothing was heard on the radio. The accident occurred at Jalapore in position 22.22N 089.15.5E on 10 August 1944. The wreck of the aircraft was discovered on 12 August and the aircraft was identified along with personal effects of Flying Officer Pain.”
The Squadron aircraft were in transit as No. 615 Squadron was moving base from Patel to Baigachi. Warrant Officer Alan Lancaster Chappell (413737) was also lost during the transit flight.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/32/461
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line