Colonel John Henry Francis Pain DSO MC MiD
Royal Military College (First Class – 1911)
2nd Battalion AIF
3rd Infantry Brigade AIF (Staff Captain)
3rd Australian Division (GSO3)
1st ANZAC Corps HQ (GSO3)
9th Infantry Brigade AIF (Brigade Major)
Staff Corps and General Staff (post WWI)
by Robert Simpson
John Henry Francis Pain was born in Homebush, New South Wales on 15th August 1893. He was the fifth of eight children to Oswald Henry Morgan Pain and Annie Wilson Hardy. He had five brothers and two sisters. His father’s family originated from Bedfordshire, England with his grandfather Henry moving the family to Australia after the death of their youngest son in 1871. John’s father, Oswald Henry Morgan Pain was involved in business around the Homebush and Sydney areas including furnishing ironmongers and sports depot, Chubb and Sons Lock and Safe Company and Slazenger and Son lawn tennis manufacturers. Oswald ended up being the Managing Director of Chubb’s. He passed away in 1910 and left a will and probate to his wife and eldest son. On John’s death form, it states Oswald was an engineer.
John was educated at Sydney Grammar School and also did 3 years of senior cadets. He then went to the Royal Military College, Duntroon, enrolling on 6th June 1911 as cadet number 25, graduating on 13th August 1914 and he was appointed as a Lieutenant on the 15th. His picture appears in a group portrait of members of the First Class at Royal Military College, Duntroon taken in December 1913. His Graduate Certificate was number 30. The museum has a diary of his, for what he did in 1913.
He was commissioned into the A & I Staff, Permanent Forces on 15th August 1914 with rank of Lieutenant. He then volunteered for the AIF on the 17th and was attached to 2nd Australian Infantry Battalion and appointed Officer in Charge of the Battalion Machine Gun Section, only a few days after the start of the war. His description was 21 years and 1 month old, 5 foot 9.5 inches tall, weight 11 stone 7 pounds, chest measurement of 36 to 39 inches, fair complexion, hazel eyes and dark hair.
On 18th October 1914, the 2nd Infantry Battalion embarked from Sydney on HMAT Suffolk A23 and arrived at Alexandria, Egypt on 8th December. He is listed on the nominal roll as a Lieutenant with his trade as a soldier, living at Cremorne Rd North Sydney with his mother as next-of-kin at the same address. His date of joining was 14th August 1914 and he was serving at the Royal Military College on enrolling. His religion was Church of England and his rate of pay was 15 shillings a day.
The battalion proceeded from Alexandria to join the M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) on 5th April 1915.
On 25th April 1915, the battalion landed at Gallipoli beach as part of the second and third waves. He was appointed Captain on 20th May due to early losses of senior officers within the unit. He had been appointed the Officer Commanding B Company within three days of landing due to those losses. His peers regarded him as being an energetic officer and showed ability in commanding his Company and the section of the trench allotted to him.
He led his company in the LONE PINE attack at 5.30 pm on 6th August 1915 from the secret underground line which had been dug during the preparation leading up to the attack. The Battalion’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Scobie, was killed on the afternoon of the 7th and Major Stevens took command. Shortly afterwards the Turks counterattacked on the right flank and Stevens directed Pain to bring a machine gun into action in a new position. Pain hurried to the nearest gun position only to find a shell had landed near the gun, killing the crew, but the gun itself was still working. Directing some men to carry the gun and follow him, Pain reached the trench junction where he was to come into action, but the situation was too critical to allow time to prepare a position, so he decided, without hesitation, to set up the gun in the open and while standing exposed breast high, to fire on the Turks crowding in the flank.
Placing the legs of the tripod on the shoulders of the three men, Pain fearlessly swept the line of the Turkish advance. An enemy bullet pierced the jacket of the gun and scalding water sprayed onto the backs of the three soldiers holding it. One of the soldiers and Pain were both wounded, but Pain continued to fire until he had discharged about 750 rounds and the gun was put out of action. He then collapsed and was evacuated. The three soldiers that had helped him were Private 972 William Nicol, Private 1787 James Alexander Montgomery who had been wounded in this action and subsequently died of his wounds on 11th August and Private 1745 William James Goudemey who was subsequently killed in action on 28th July 1916 as a Lance Corporal. They were all Mentioned in Despatches and Nichol and Goudemey were also awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for this action. Their prompt action had saved the situation and probably the whole right flank. Apparently, they had all been recommended for the Victoria Cross for this action, though no formal record exists. The action was commendable enough to warrant that recommendation.
Sometime during the action of the 6th to 8th of August 1915 he was wounded at Lone Pine, with a gunshot wound to the shoulder, leg and face (severe) according to his service records. After that action, he was recommended for a Military Cross. The citation reads “As a Company Officer took part in the assault. When the Officer and crew of a machine gun had become casualties he personally fired it, with the tripod supported on the shoulders of three men, though wounded in the shoulder by a bullet until he was wounded in the head and the gun put out of action, one of the men being killed. Left Anzac 67-8-15”. It was signed H. S. Chauvel Major General commanding 1st Anzac Division.
Another citation for the action reads: “After the M.G. Detachment of his Battalion had lost its officer, n.c.o.’s and most of the men under bomb and rifle fire at LONE PINE, Captain Pain took command. In order to sweep the line of advance of a hostile counter attack he mounted the parados and whilst so exposed to hostile fire kept the gun in action for about 750 rounds until he himself was wounded in the head and shoulder and the gun seriously damaged. The fire from this gun was of the greatest service in repelling the counter-attack. One of the men holding a leg of the gun on his shoulder was killed”.
A citation sent to his mother on 15th March 1916 reads: “Captain Pain showed himself a keen Officer, and did his work in a very satisfactory manner. He was selected by the late Lieutenant-Colonel Braund to command “B” Company, three days after the landing, and commanded that Company until wounded on the 7th August. He was an energetic Officer, and showed ability in commanding his Company and section of the entrenched position allotted to him. In connection with the attack on Lone Pine position on 6/7 August, the following is a copy of a report forwarded to Headquarters in reference to his conduct: –
When under heavy fire from bombs and rifles the M.G. Section suffered severely, losing its Officer, N.C.O. and most of the details. Captain Pain placed the gun on top of the parados where the rear leg had to be placed on a man’s shoulders and it was fired in that position. Captain Pain handled the gun personally, and kept it firing although exposed to great danger, and until wounded in the head and shoulder. He did not disclose the latter wound and tried to return to duty. On the second wound being discovered he was removed to Hospital.”
On 12th August 1915, he was transferred to hospital ship and onto Malta and then on 15th August 1915 he was invalided to England and admitted to Miss Pollock’s Hospital, London.
John was Mentioned in Dispatches by Gen. Sir Ian Hamilton for service in the Dardanelles operations on 5th September 1915 as J. H. F. Pain Captain 2nd Battalion (New South Wales) Australian Infantry which was published in the London Gazette on 28th January 1916 page 1208 position 28.
On 9th November 1915, he was discharged to ANZAC Base Depot at Weymouth.
He was awarded the Military Cross which was promulgated on 14th January 1916 in the London Gazette page 590 position 10 as Captain John Henry Francis Paine (an error) 2nd Battalion Australian Force. It was also listed in Australian newspapers and in the All Australian Memorial publication after the war.
He was also Mentioned in Despatches and 13th July 1916 page 6955 position 14 (Commander of M.E.F. General Sir Charles Munro’s Despatches date 10th April 1916).
It was 9th June 1916 before he had recovered from his wounds and received orders to join the B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force). On 15th June 1916, he was appointed as Staff Captain 3rd Infantry Brigade.
In July 1916, the battalion was involved in a major action at Pozieres in the Somme valley, later fighting in Ypres in Flanders and returned to the Somme in winter.
He was seconded for duty with the 3rd Infantry Brigade Headquarters on 25th June 1916. On 1st Oct 1916, he was promoted to Major and was to be G.S.O III with the 3rd Australian Division. On 8th November, he was taken on strength of the 3rd Divisional Engineers from 2nd Battalion.
On 16th March 1917, he was wounded in action again but remained at his post.
In April 1917, the battalion attacked part of the Hindenburg line and spent much of 1917 fighting in increasingly horrendous conditions around Ypres.
He ceased to be seconded as G.S.O. III 3rd Australian Division on 6th August 1917. On 21st August 1917, he was appointed G.S.O.III, 1st ANZAC Corps Headquarters and on 12th December 1917 he relinquished the above rank and was to be Brigade Major, 9th Infantry Brigade.
He was granted two weeks leave to England on 13th March 1918.
The battalion returned to the Somme and was involved in stopping the German spring offensive in March and April. A note in his service records dated 3rd June 1918 has him “to be Honorary Captain and to be noted for the Brevet rank of Major in promotion to the substantive rank of Captain for specially meritorious services during the present war”.
On 7th August 1918, he wounded in action (3rd occasion) but remained at his post. The battalion was involved in the allied offensive on 8th August which turned out to be the greatest success in a single day on the Western Front.
John left the battlefield for the last time on 19th October 1918 and proceeded to Junior Staff Course at Clare College Cambridge England. A letter dated 23rd January 1919 from the College states “Considerable ability. Full of energy and keenness, and enters wholeheartedly into everything; work or play. A very pleasant manner. Good all round knowledge, and has experience. Neat and methodical. A distinctly promising Staff Officer. Age 25.” Below that it states Branch of Staff for which recommended, any 2nd Grade appointment.
He was recommended for a Distinguished Service Order on 30th September 1918 with it reading “Major PAIN has rendered sustained distinguished service as Brigade-Major to 9th Australian Infantry Brigade during the period 25th February – 19th September 1918. Throughout advance ACCROCHE WOOD to CLERY by his devotion to duty, initiative and courage, Major PAIN rendered invaluable service which played an important part in the success of the operations, the nature of which was such as to demand the greatest endurance and determination. Major PAIN’s consistent enthusiasm and concentration ensured the highest result, and reflected the greatest credit upon him.”
On 31st December 1918, he was again Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette page 15225 position 62 from Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatch of 8th November.
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and it was promulgated on 1st January 1919 in the London Gazette page 21 position 30 as Major John Henry Francis Pain MC 2nd Battalion AIF. His mother was sent the Warrant in connection with is DSO on 12th August 1919.
John Henry Francis Pain – Service form M51/463 records: –
Awarded the Military Cross L.G. 29438
Mentioned in Dispatches L.G. 29455
” ” ” L.G 29664
” ” ” L.G. 31089
Awarded the DSO L.G 31092
Major J. H. F. Pain left Liverpool on the HMAT Balmoral Castle on 27th February 1919 bound for Sydney Australia as a Major in the 2nd Battalion and his appointment in the AIF was terminated on 15th June 1919. He became an instructor at the special school of military instruction in the Permanent Forces.
He was appointed General Staff Officer 1st Military District in Brisbane from 1920 to 1921 and Brigade Major 11th Mixed Brigade in Brisbane from 1921 to 1922.
The Cairns Post on Tuesday 14th June 1921 noted the engagement of Major John Henry Francis Pain DSO MC, Staff Corps, forth son of the late Mr. O. H. M. Pain and of Mrs. Pain of Cremorne, Sydney, and Mary Ainslie Beresford, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Corrie, Bowen Terrace, Brisbane. The Electoral roll for 1922 shows him to be living in Victoria Barracks, Paddington, Brisbane with occupation listed as military.
He married Mary Ainslie Beresford Corrie on 10th November 1922 in Brisbane and spent a few days at Mt. Tambourine afterward. Mary’s parents came from Tasmania and have an interesting family history. Her father, Frank Beresford Corrie married Trucaninni Graves in 1891 in Victoria. Trucaninni’s father was John Woodcock Graves. His father, of the same name, was born and had married in England, and migrated to Tasmania with his family in 1833. He was the author of the song, “D’ ye ken John Peel” and appears to have been a bit of an eccentric character and inventor. Mary’s grandfather was a solicitor and barrister and was heavily involved with the welfare of native animals and also the Tasmanian aborigines. He was especially interested in their last Queen, Trucaninni, from whom he named a daughter, Mary’s mother. Mary and her family appear to have moved to Queensland in the early 1900’s. Her father Frank was a sharebroker.
Only a few days after the marriage they left for England on 18th November on the TSS Jervis Bay, arriving in London on 6th January 1923 for John to go to Canberley Staff College for a special course. He appears to be one of a few officers that were heading to England on the Jervis Bay. He was there until 1925 and after that was an exchange Officer in England and General Staff Officer 2 in the War Office from 1925 until 1927. The museum has a photo book of their time in England, with pictures of visits to Scotland and France.
On 23rd April 1927, they returned to Brisbane Australia on the Athenic, his address was given as War Office, Whitehall. He was an army officer aged 33 and Mary was listed as having no occupation and aged 24. He was heading back to Melbourne to take the appointment of General Staff Officer 2 Operations Army Headquarters which he did from 1927 until 1932. He was also Aide-de-Camp to the Governor of Victoria, Lord Somers, from 30th January 1930.
The 1931 Electoral Roll has them living at 20 Domain Rd East, South Yarra Melbourne with his occupation as soldier.
He was appointed General Staff Officer 4th Division A.M.F. from 1st February 1932 and shifted to Western Australia. He had the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
He appears in Who’s Who in Australia in the 1933-1934 edition with a summary of his life and military career and also in the 1935 edition, but in the 1938 edition he appears in a list of names and awards only. The 1944 edition has the same information as well and also a death date which is incorrect.
The Electoral Rolls for 1936 and 1937 have them living at 45 Keane St, Cottesloe, Fremantle and his occupation as an army officer. In the West Australian newspaper of Wednesday 12th May 1937 he is in a list of West Australian recipients that His Majesty the King was graciously pleased to award the special medal instituted to commemorate the Coronation of Their Majesties King George and Queen Elizabeth.
He then had a short period as Colonel General Staff in Southern Command, Melbourne. In September 1940, he was posted to Australia House at The Strand in London as a Military Liaison Officer with the rank of Colonel.
On 27th February 1941, he left Liverpool for Melbourne Australia, going via The Cape, on the Glenogle. He was listed as Colonel John H.F. Pain of Lake Hotel Godalming; an army officer aged 47 and was travelling first class. The entry is crossed out in pencil and given the trip was to be 110 days; maybe he cancelled at the last minute and returned by some other quicker route as he was ill.
He passed away on the 13th May 1941 at Caulfield Military Hospital, Melbourne. His funeral left the chapel of B. Matthews Pty. Ltd. 182 Toorak Rd. South Yarra on Wednesday 14th May for the Springvale Crematorium, after a service by Canon C. H. Murray commencing at quarter past 10 o’clock. The death record shows he died of terminal toxaemia and broncho-pneumonia and that he had had splenic leukaemia for 8 years. It also states he was born in Sydney, New South Wales, spent 6 years in Victoria and unknown periods in other Australian states. He was listed in Andrews Newspaper Index Cards with a cutting noting the above and that he was a Colonel in the Australian Staff Corps.
He was cremated at the Springvale Crematorium on the 14th and his ashes were interred in Wall 4 Section AA Niche 110.
He has a place at the Australian War Memorial as he was still a serving member of the Defence Force. His name is located at Supplementary Panel 12 in the commemorative area. In 1967, the AWM began correspondence to enquire to the Army Records Office of members of the Staff Corps who died while on full time duty in WW2 so they could be added to the Roll of Honour. It appears that initially he and others were not on the Roll of Honour so the AWM was trying to correct that. His name is the only one under the unit titled: Australian Staff Corps (Unallotted). There was also correspondence in 1949 to supply his WW2 medals and scroll.
His medal entitlement is Distinguished Service Order; Military Cross (engraved J.H.F PAIN 2nd BATTALION A.I.E.F. LONE PINE AUG 6, 1915); 1914-15 Star (LIEUT. J.H.F. PAIN 2/BN A.I.F.); British War and Victory Medals (MAJOR J.H.F. PAIN A.I.F.); Australian Service Medal (unnamed), Defence and War medals WW2 (COLONEL J.H.F. Pain); 1937 Coronation Medal (unnamed).
His wife was also sent a War Scroll to 70 Avoca St. South Yarra in 1949. There is also a Warrant in connection with the Distinguished Service Order, three certificates for Mention in Despatches and a small and large MID emblem, Royal Military College graduation and discharge certificates and badge three wound stripes, Staff Corps badge and various photos and a diary from 1913 while at the college.
Most of his brothers also served. Ralph, the eldest, joined the 1st Battalion as Private 4837, was appointed Lance Corporal, transferred to 52nd Battalion and was killed in action on 19th July 1916. He was entitled to the trio.
Hedley enlisted in the 2nd Battalion as Private 3118. He was appointed acting Staff Sergeant in Egypt and then Lieutenant in the 53rd Battalion in 1916. He ended up in the pay staff and returned home in 1919. He was entitled to the trio. He also served in WW2, enlisting as V83163 Lieutenant in 2nd Training Battalion on 13th March 1940, and he was discharged on 18th April 1941.
Cedric joined the Army Service Corps as Private 7459 in 1915, was promoted to Driver, returned to Australia in 1919 and was entitled to a trio.
The youngest, Alan, joined the Signal Corps in 1916 as Private 6557, but was actually under age and when he was found out he was sent home in 1917. He re-enlisted in 1918 when he was over 18 years old as Private 67681 in general reinforcements, but his ship did not leave until 2nd November 1918 and he did not enter a theatre of war as the ship was ordered home. After the war, he was send the British War Medal and when he asked why he had not received the Victory Medal also the reply stated he had not entered a theatre of war (well not when he was of age anyway). Alan also served in WW2 as N271274 on 28 May 1941 as a Lance Sergeant in the Engineers Services and was discharged on 7th January 1942.
His wife, Mary remained in Melbourne, never remarried and passed away on 30th November 1976. She was cremated on 2nd December, the ashes were scattered in the same cemetery and there is no grave.
Their daughter, Gillian Mary, was born about 1930. She went to England with her mother on the ship Oronsay and arrived on 3rd May 1952. Her occupation was listed as a secretary and her mother as home duties. They were staying at 29 Threadneedle St. London and their bank details were Bank of N.S.W. Their journey was noted in a newspaper on 29th March. Apparently, they went as Gillian was to be one of the debutantes’s presented to the Queen at a Buckingham Palace afternoon tea party on 16th July 1953. Her mother was allowed to watch along with other parents after initially not being allowed to.
ANZAC Biographies
On our website you will find the biographical details of ANZAC (as well as British) servicemen & women
whose medals or other memorabilia form part of the collection belonging to the
Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum,
Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.
