The Airmen's Stories - P/O G S P Bain

George Stobie Preston Bain was born in 1915 and joined the RAFVR in Edinburgh in July 1939.

He was called up in September and posted to 3 ITW Hastings in November 1939. He went to 12 EFTS Prestwick for his elementary flying and on to 5 FTS Sealand on No. 47 Course, which began on 29th April 1940.

For some unknown reason Bain did not complete his training until 7th September, passing out with with No. 49 Course.

Bain was then posted to 5 OTU Aston Down and after converting to Hurricanes he joined 111 Squadron at Drem on 3rd October 1940. He made his first flight next day, a formation practice.

On 22nd February 1941 he was aloft with Sgt. AH Gregory when they intercepted a He115 of 1./KuFlGp106 off Peterhead, they shot it down with the loss of the three crew.

The squadron moved soon afterwards to Dyce and it was flying from there on 8th May 1941 that Bain crashed after his Spitfire was in collision with Spitfire I R6619 flown by Sgt. FAV Drummond RAAF at Marycutter near Aberdeen.

Drummond was killed.

Bain was admitted to the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary with injuries to his right eye & left calf. He was discharged on 21st May. These injuries that barred him from further operational flying.

While he was in hospital, 111 moved south to North Weald and Bain was able to arrange a posting there as a trainee Operations Room Controller.

He took over as Controller in September 1941 and continued there until February 1944, when he was posted to Tangmere as Deputy Controller.

Bain received a Mention in Despatches for his work on D-Day and after.

He became Senior Controller at Tangmere and later at the joint Tangmere and Middle Wallop operations room at Middle Wallop.

In early 1945 Bain was posted to HQ 11 Group, Uxbridge and in April he became CO at RAF Lerwick, Shetland.

He closed the station in August 1945 and served as a Staff Officer at Group HQ, Inverness until released in November 1945 as a Squadron Leader.

Bain died on 29th December 1996 in Edinburgh.