Frederick Dundas Corbet (Dassie) GORE

GORE, Frederick Dundas Corbet

Service Number: 412
Enlisted: 6 September 1914, Original of A Squadron
Last Rank: Second Lieutenant
Last Unit: Royal Flying Corps
Born: Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia, 1 December 1885
Home Town: Goondiwindi, Goondiwindi, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Draughtsman
Died: 1964, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Not yet discovered
Memorials: Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Goondiwindi War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

6 Sep 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 412, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, Original of A Squadron
24 Sep 1914: Involvement Private, 412, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of England embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: ''
24 Sep 1914: Embarked Private, 412, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Star of England, Brisbane
16 Mar 1917: Discharged AIF WW1, Quartermaster Sergeant, 412, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, Discharged to the Royal Flying Corps with rank of 2nd Lieutenant
17 Mar 1917: Involvement Second Lieutenant, Royal Flying Corps

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Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

2nd Lieutenant Frederick Dundas Corbet Gore of 66 Squadron RFC, was known by the family and friends as "Dassie" and was born on 1 December 1885 at "Pikedale" station near Goondiwindi Queensland. Dassie joined The RFC in France in August 1917 and the only time Dassie was credited with a destroyed enemy aircraft was on 12 October when he destroyed a two-seater German aircraft. In November 1917 66 Squadron was one of three Camel squadrons chosen to deploy to Italy, as part of an allied plan to bolster the Italian front. His last flight with the squadron was on 2 February 1918, when he was shot down, his patrol mates saw him going down over the Austrian lines. Three Albatros D111 aircraft attacked the patrol; Dassie was seen pulling out of a spin at 7000 ft, west of St. Vito. It was initially thought that he had been killed in the engagement or shortly after and had died of wounds and buried. In fact, he had been wounded in the engagement and taken to hospital. The Austrians dropped a message over the allied lines informing the Royal Flying Corps that he was alive. He was then interned at a Prisoner of war camp near Salzerbad in Austria.

 

Dassie Gore served in France and Italy during 1917-18, he is not one of the familiar names associated with 66 Squadron, but represents the majority of squadron personnel who turned out day in and day out, for little reward. No chest of medals, and detailed debates in later years about his doings. But he was a highly competent and reliable officer, who was unusual due to his age (32) when compared to his contemporaries.

Dassie had enlisted in the 2nd Australian Light Horse at Enoggera Queensland on 6 September 1914, becoming Private 412. He was quickly promoted to Lance Corporal on 20 October 1914, and promoted by the commanding officer to Temporary Quartermaster Sergeant during June 1915. By 10 July 1915 Dassie was in Egypt, where he was hospitalised with enteric fever and eventually evacuated to England, where he eventually joined the RFC.

When Austria collapsed in October 1918, Dassie made his way back to Italy crossing the Adriatic Sea on the casing of an Italian submarine, arriving back with 66 Squadron on 18 November 1918. He was hospitalised after the deprivations of his time in the POW camp. Dassie sailed home to Australia on 18 January 1919, and also served in the Australian Army as a Lieutenant during the Second World War.

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