LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant David Ross GALE
Service No: 402114
Born: Killara NSW, 9 September 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 27 May 1940
Unit: No. 250 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 250 Squadron Tomahawk aircraft AK398), Libya, 26 June 1941, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Leslie Ross Gale and Mary Jenny Gale, of Killara, New South Wales, Australia. Awarded Royal Humane Society’s Medal
Roll of Honour: Ku-ring-gai NSW
Remembered: Column 246, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 122, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Ku-ring-gai World War II Book of Remembrance, Gordon NSW
Remembered: University of Sydney World War 2 Roll of Honour, Camperdown NSW
On 26 June 1941 Tomahawk AK398 was one of 10 Tomahawks that took off to escort bombers detailed to attack Gazala in the Tobruk/Bardia area. Arriving over Bardia-Capuzzo, a large dogfight was sighted below of approximately 40 Me109s, G50s and Hurricanes. The Tomahawk formation joined in, and became separated. At one time 5 crashes were seen on the ground with one Pilot coming down by parachute. On returning to base two Tomahawks were missing including AK398. Following post war enquiries and investigations, when no trace of the missing pilot could be found, it was recorded in 1948 that Sergeant Gale had no known grave.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/115/52
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Ilbery, P.L.T. (Peter Leslie Thomas) (422957) Hatching an Air Force: 2SFTS, 5SFTS, 1BFTS Uranquinty and Wagga Wagga, Banner Books Maryborough QLD 4650, 2002