Operation: Dive Bombing

Date: 22nd September 1944 (Friday)

Unit: No. 66 Squadron (motto: Cavete praemonui - 'Beware, I have warned'). 132 Wing, 84 Group. 2nd Tactile Air Force

Type: Spitfire LF.IX

Serial: MJ981

Code: LZ-?

Base: B57 ALG, Lille, France

Location: Dunkirk, France

Pilot: F/O. John David Andrew Beal NZ/421349 RNZAF Age 24. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

12 aircraft took off at 16:55 hrs on an army support operation dive bombing enemy gun positions in Dunkirk. Th second of the day, the previous operation taking off at 12:55 hrs had to abort due to the weather.

The remainder of the squadron landed at the ALG at 17:45 hrs.

Burial and other details:

F/O. John David Andrew Beal. Dunkirk Town Cemetery. Plot 2 Row 5 Grave 21. Born on the 28th December in Glasgow, Scotland. Moved to New Zealand around December 1922. Educated at Wanganui Technical Colledge. Worked as a motor mechanic for Linwood Motors in Wanganui. Served 17 months in NZ Territorial Army. Enlisted at Rongotai as aircraft hand on the 20th February 1942, Remastered as a pilot under training on the 03rd September 1942, With No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School on the 26th November 1942.

Embarked for Canada on the12th February 1943. No. 12 Service Flying Training School on the 20th Mat 1943. Pilot badge awarded on the 13th August 1943 and promoted to sergeant. No. 1 Operational Training Unit on the 17th September 1943 flying the Hurricane. Commissioned on the 19th November 1943,

Embarked for England on the 26th December 1943. With No. 12 Personnel Reception Centre 04th January 1944. Joined 61 Operational Training Unit 20th February 1944 for training on the Spitfire. Involved in a mid-air collision and subsequent crash landing on the 07th April 1944 - not injured. Joined 66 squadron on the 17th July 1944. A total of 493 flying hours logged

Son of Fred Beal (died 20th June 1973, age 79) and of Catherine Rennie Beal (née Gibson - died 31st December 1979, age 84), of Lyle Tea Rooms, Feilding, Wellington, New Zealand.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, National Archives, Kew, AIR-27-600-17/18.

Other pages that nay interest you:

Pages detailing RNZAF Losses
Pages regarding 1944 losses

Other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2025 Last Modified: 28 July 2023, 17:26