The Airmen's Stories - P/O R A Payne

Roy Ainley Payne was born on 14th July 1910 in Edmonton, Middlesex, the son of Herbert Ainley Payne (1872-1952), a timber merchant, and Florence Grace Payne (nee Gregory 1882-1965).

He joined Class 'F' of the RAF Reserve before the war as an Airman u/t Pilot. He was called up on 1st September 1939, completed his training and was commissioned in March 1940. His first posting was 13 Squadron, operating Lysanders in the Army Co-Operation role.

Payne volunteered for Fighter Command in August 1940 and went to 7 OTU Hawarden on 23rd August to convert to Spitfires. He then joined 602 Squadron at Westhampnett on 3rd September. He served in the RAF until at least January 1944 but the details of his service are currently unknown.

On 16th April 1947 he was the pilot of Proctor V G-AHZX which was carrying passengers from Guernsey to England. The aircraft, perhaps due to mishandling of the fuel supply, came down in the sea near St. Jouin-sur-Mer, France.

Payne, Mrs. Betty Bevan and Imogen Stafford-Allen (aged 2) were missing presumed drowned. Mrs. Pamela Stafford-Allen was picked up semi-conscious by a fishing boat and survived.