FLGOFF Francis Bruce Beale 402842

Flying Officer Francis Bruce "Frank" Beale, 457 Squadron RAAF.

Flying Officer Francis Bruce "Frank" Beale was born on 23 June 1916 in Melbourne, Victoria, the son of Francis Joseph and Myrtle Gwendoline Beale of Killara, New South Wales. He attended Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore) and enlisted in the RAAF on 11 November 1940.

Beale served with No. 457 Squadron RAAF, which returned to Australia in mid-1942 after a period of operations from England. Re-equipped with Spitfires, the squadron was based at Livingstone in the Northern Territory as part of No. 1 Fighter Wing, defending Darwin against Japanese air raids. Beale flew Spitfire Mk VC BR493, coded ZP-A, which was distinguished by a winged Gremlin motif with a Tommy Gun forward of the cockpit on the port side.

The ADF Serials record for Spitfire BR493 reads:

"Arrived in Australia on SS Eury 18/10/42. Rec 1AD ex UK 31/10/42. Rec 457Sqn RAAF ex 1AD 09/11/42. Accident 23/02/43 when landing in a crosswind at Livingstone NT, overshot during taxying, tipping aircraft on nose. Pilot, Sgt L J Hart not injured. Rec 7RSU ex 457Sqn RAAF 26/02/43. Allotted 457Sqn RAAF ex 7RSU 26/02/43. Repaired. Coded ZP-A. Lost in combat 28/6/43 with F/O Francis Bruce Beale Serv#402842 being killed. Aircraft had winged Gremlin Motif with Tommy Gun forward of cockpit on Port side. Refer: NAA File: 166/5/174. W/O File 09/16/865 HQ QO668 08/07/43. Photo Held."

Flying Officer Beale was killed in action on 28 May 1943, aged 26. He is commemorated on the Northern Territory Memorial, Panel 6.

Beale's brother, Pilot Officer Herbert Eldon Beale (403021), also served with the RAAF and was killed on 21 January 1943 — just four months before Frank — while flying with No. 179 Squadron RAF. Herbert's Wellington VIII HX690, equipped with a Leigh light for anti-submarine patrols, failed to return from a night patrol over the Mediterranean from Gibraltar. His body was recovered three weeks later near Philippeville, Algeria, and he is buried at Bone War Cemetery, Annaba.

Their parents lost both sons within the space of four months. In their memory, they established the Bruce & Eldon Beale Memorial Prize at Sydney Church of England Grammar School, awarded annually to boys leaving Shore to attend university.

Livingstone Field, Darwin 1943. Group portrait of pilots of 457 Squadron on the wing of one of their aircraft. From left to right: Flying Officer F.D. Hamilton of Sydney, NSW; Pilot Officer A.H. Blake of Vic; Sergeant R. Watson of Lismore, NSW; Sergeant R. Briggs of Sydney, NSW. The first two were soon to lose their lives over Darwin.

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Confirmatory Memorandum — Casualty F/O F.B. Beale (402842) Pilot, Spitfire Aircraft BR.493, No. 457 Squadron. On 28 May 1943, eight aircraft of No. 457 Squadron operating from Millingimbi were ordered to intercept enemy aircraft. F/O Beale did not return to base.

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The grave of Pilot Officer Herbert Eldon Beale (403021) at Bone War Cemetery, Annaba, Algeria. Herbert was Frank's brother, killed on 21 January 1943 while serving with No. 179 Squadron RAF.

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