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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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450
450 Squadron (RAAF) Kittyhawk III FR303 Fl/Sgt. Ronald Payne

Operation: Convoy escort

Date: 22nd November 1942 (Sunday)

Unit: No. 450 Squadron (RAAF) 211 Group. 239 Wing. Western Desert

Type: Kittyhawk III

Serial: FR303

Code:

Base: Martuba, Libya

Location: Mediterranean Sea

Pilot: Fl/Sgt. Ronald Payne NZ/411562 RNZAF Age 20. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 08:58 hrs with five others and not seen again during the return trip in a severe rain storm.

Burial and personal details:

Fl/Sgt. Ronald Payne. Alamein Memorial. Column 266. Born on the 31st December 1921 in New Plymouth. Educated at Central School and New Plymouth Boy’s High School. He was a keen tennis player and won the Taranaki Junior Tennis Championship in 1939. Enlisted at Levin as a pilot under training on the 01st March 1941. With No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School 12th April 1941. Embarked for Canada on the18th June 1941. With No. 10 Service Flying Training School 06th July 1941. Pilot badge and promoted to sergeant on the 25th September 1941.

Embarked for England on the 07th October 1941. With No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre on the 19th October 1941. With No. 9 Service Flying Training School 03rd November 1941. 61 Operational Training Unit for training on the Spitfire on the 16th December 1941. Joined 609 squadron on the 02nd March 1942. To Gold Coast 15th April 1942 then by air to Egypt via Nigeria and Sudan arriving 25th May 1942. Joined 450 squadron on the 06th November 1942.

Son of Edward James Leslie Payne (died 20th August 1988, age 94) and of Agnes Payne (née Knight), of New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot, thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 12-08-2022

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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