Rollo Pain


Sir Rollo Pain was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.

Military career

Educated at Clifton College, Pain was commissioned into the Royal Armoured Corps in 1943 during World War II and served in North West Europe. He was awarded the MC for his leadership during fighting for control of the village of Stemmen in Germany. After the War he saw active service in Palestine for which he was mentioned in dispatches. In 1962 he became Commanding Officer of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards. He was appointed Commander of 5th Infantry Brigade in North Borneo in 1965, Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations at the Ministry of Defence in 1969 and General Officer Commanding 2nd Division in 1970. He went on to be Director of Military Training in 1972 and Head of the British Defence Staff in Washington, D.C. in 1975 before retiring in 1978.
He was given the colonelcy of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards from 1979 to 1983.

Family

In 1950 he married Denys Chaine-Nickson; they had a son and two daughters.