Coming Soon.
GALE, Walter William Beresford
Personal Details
Service Number: | 406243 |
---|---|
Enlisted: | 7 October 1940 |
Last Rank: | Squadron Leader |
Last Unit: | No. 451 Squadron (RAAF) |
Born: | Geraldton, Greater Geraldton City, Western Australia, 14 July 1920 |
Home Town: | Geraldton, Western Australia |
Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
Occupation: | Bank Manager |
Died: | Flying Battle, Toscana, Italy, 17 July 1944, aged 24 years |
Cemetery: |
Florence War Cemetery, Italy I. J. 18. Memorial: Bunbury Cemetery Bunbury, Bunbury City, Western Australia, Australia. Methodist section A grave 274. |
Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
Service History
World War 2 Service
3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Squadron Leader, 406243 | |
---|---|---|
7 Oct 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Squadron Leader, 406243, No. 451 Squadron (RAAF), Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War Over Europe 1944-1945, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1963 – Page 256 Two aircraft were covering the Napoli-Pisa area and two the Florence-Pisa area independently. Squadron Leader Gale was presumably hit by anti-aircraft fire. The incident occurred at 0635 hours. Spitfire MK267 was seen from 2,000 feet by his No 2 Flight Sergeant Godfrey Massey Ball (404227) about 300 feet above the ground and pouring white smoke. Flight Sergeant Ball then lost sight of the aircraft momentarily while he was doing a tight turn. A few seconds after Ball saw fire on the ground, which he considered almost certainly to be an aircraft burning. Ball circled taking camera gun shots for about 8 seconds. These however were not successful. Ball was then forced to withdraw as the anti-aircraft fire was intense and accurate. | |
7 Oct 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Squadron Leader, 406243 |
Personal Stories
Help us honour Walter William Beresford Gale's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my story