but I have a feeling this Chipmunk was at various times 9M-ANI and 9V-BAE.

Correct, Ndedge!

So not as bad as it looks.

RMR, I think maybe it was worse!

I’ve just had the following information from a very authoritative source:

The photo would have been taken between 16/8/1957 and 24/8/1957.

The Chipmunk of the Malay Auxiliary Air Force based at Penang had run low on fuel and in attempting to land at Medjie Airstrip 3 miles NNE of Johor Bahru ran into a mangrove swam. Date of accident 15/8/1957. Initially declared a write off, it was decided to retrieve and rebuild the aircraft [cat 4] at Selatar, where it arrived on 24/8/1957. The photo shows the retrieval operation underway.

After rebuild the aircraft was returned to the MAAF in December 1957 and sold to the Royal Malaysian AF in early 1959 and became FM1022. Presented by the RMAF to the Royal Singapore Flying Club in 1963 as 9M-ANI- then 9V-BAE on breakup of the Federation.

To Australia in 1976 having been purchased Jeff Trappett when he was serving at RAAF Butterworth. Became VH-BBK in 1977 and has remained as such.

As I posted earlier, not to be confused with the “FM-1022” currently on display at Kuala Lumpur! Thank you to all who responded.