Specialising in renowned automobile brands including Oldsmobiles, Rolls-Royces and Fords, the company diversified its operations to encompass motorized services throughout Southeast Asia.

[2] In tandem with this expansion, subsidiary automotive companies were established to manage Wearne's various agencies, starting with Malayan Motors.

This new aviation hub not only provided essential infrastructure but also played a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for the emergence of local airlines.

[3] Wearne's Air Service (WAS) commenced its historic journey on June 20, 1937, with the reception of its first aircraft, the de Havilland Dragon Rapide named Governor Raffles.

Boehm, the company's chief ground engineer, included a delivery journey lasting 17 days from England, with stops in various locations such as Benghazi, Cairo, Baghdad, Calcutta, Victoria Point, Penang, and Malacca.

He revealed that once suitable landing fields became available, the flight itinerary would be extended to include destinations such as Kota Bharu, Ipoh, Malacca, Fraser's Hill, Cameron Highlands and other key centers in both Malaya and Borneo.

This early success laid the foundation for the airline's expansion, emphasized by the acquisition of a second aircraft, named Governor Fullerton, which was transported to Singapore via a steamship.

[10] Notably, this new aircraft arrived on August 24, 1937, enabling WAS to increase its service frequency to daily operations from September 25 onwards, except on Sundays.

[19] Despite these expansion efforts, the financial report revealed a notable setback, with Wearne's Air Service incurring a $78,000 loss for the fiscal year from October 1, 1937, to September 30, 1938.

[24] In a notable turn of events, the four-engined de Havilland aircraft is being proposed for sale to China to serve as an air ambulance.

[26] On May 4, 1940, a tragic incident occurred during a Wearne's Air Service passenger plane's journey from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur.

[29][30] Wearne's Air Service underwent a significant shift in its trajectory when the government assumed control of the airline just before the Japanese attack on Malaya in 1941.

[7] During World War II, WAS adapted its operations to support wartime efforts, focusing on flying charters for the army and RMAF.

The Japanese occupation of Singapore and the Malay Peninsula marked a significant downturn for Wearne's Air Service, leading to the end of its operations during the war.

Unfortunately, one of the aircraft met a tragic end in Ipoh on December 18, 1941, destroyed on the ground after being struck by a fragmentation bomb upon landing, resulting in the loss of both occupants on board.

Another aircraft faced a comparable fate in Palembang, Sumatra, on February 10, 1942, when it was destroyed and written off after its starboard wings were sheared off by a Hawker Hurricane during an air raid.

[32] Despite the cessation of military control after the war in 1945, the airline did not resume its services, marking the closure of an era in Southeast Asian aviation history.

[33] After the challenging wartime experience and subsequent termination of Wearne's Air Service, a new chapter began in the Southeast Asian aviation landscape.

Nonetheless, MAL experienced a period of inactivity as its leadership recognised the inherent difficulties in competing with Wearne's Air Service's already established dominance, additionally heightened by the relatively small market size.