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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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125 crest
25th October 1941 125 Squadron Defiant I T3985 Sgt. Dale

Operation: Patrol

Date: 25th October 1941 (Saturday)

Unit: No. 125 Squadron (motto: Nunquam domandi - 'Never to be tamed') 10 Group

Type: Defiant I

Serial: T3985

Code: VA-?

Base: RAF Fairwood Common, Glamorganshire

Location: Skewen. South Glamorgan

Pilot: Sgt. Clive Alan Gillions Dale NZ/402170 RNZAF Age 20. Killed

W/Op/Air/ Gnr. Sgt. John Barron Bayliss NZ/40600 RNZAF Age ? Injured

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 22:00 hrs from RAF Fairwood Common and the swing away to starboard in error. This was described as a lack of experience or the pilot was distracted by radio traffic or a combination of both.

Seven minutes later they collided with a barrage balloon cable.

Both of the crew abandoned the aircraft. The air gunner survived with injuries from a heavy landing but it appears that it was too low for the parachute of Sgt. Dale to deploy.

The aircraft crashed into a small hill at Skewen, the body of the pilot was discovered 200 yards from the crash site in Park Crescent.

Burial details:

Sgt. Clive Alan Gillions Dale. Killay Churchyard (St Hilary of Poictiers). Grave 143. Born on the 25 August 1921 at Dunedin. Worked as a surveyor for the Public Works Department prior to service. Enlisted at Levin on the 28th July 1940.Awarded his pilots badge awarded on the 15th January 1941 and promoted to sergeant on the 08th February 1941 after training in Canada. Joined 125 squadron on the 13th July 1941 from 59 Operational Training Unit. Son of Daniel Souter Dale and of Ida Victoria Dale (nee Gillions), of Linton, Wellington, New Zealand. A total of 303 flying hours logged.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, AWMM, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 10-04-2021

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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Last Modified: 10 April 2021, 13:23

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