Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of William and Martha Christina Gall, of Merinda, Queensland, Australia.

"Mr. and Mrs. W. Gall received word on Monday afternoon from the Air-Board that their son Herbert Maurice Gall, was reported missing as a result of air operations in Europe on 6th August. We join with their many friends in hoping that "Bert", will eventually turn up safe and well." - from the Bowen Independent 14 Aug 1942 (nla.gov.au)

"Roll of Honour

Mr. W. Gall, Merinda, advises having received the following telegram from the Air Board, Melbourne: "Regret to inform you that your son Herbert Maurice Gall, previously reported, missing, now reported missing believed to have lost his life on 6th August. This information is based on report received through Air Ministry Londen from International Red Cross Commission quoting German sources. Any further information received will be immediately conveyed to you." - from the Bowen Independent 25 Sep 1942 (nla.gov.au)

Herbert Maurice Gall was born in Bowen, Queensland to William and Martha Gall on the 4th of May 1915. He was educated at Merinda State School from 1926 to 1929 and at Bowen State High School from 1929 to 1930. Socially he was a keen cricketer and tennis player, which he played in their respective seasons.

For the early part of his working life Herbert was employed in clerical or shop keeping roles within Thomas Borthwick and Sons Ltd. Herbert served for four years and 204 days in the Kennedy Regiment, from the 1st of January 1936 to the 23rd of July 1940, rising to the rank of Corporal before discharging.

Herbert enlisted into the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on the 2nd of February 1941, he originally joined to be an aircraft technician apprentice but due to no vacancies at the time, he then decided to become aircrew. His RAAF postings were -

·         2nd of February 1941 – No. 3 Initial Training School, Sandgate, Queensland.

·         6th of March 1941 – No. 2 Wireless Air Gunners School, Parkes, New South Wales.

·         25th of August 1941 – No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery School, Evans Head, New South Wales.

·         30th of September 1941 – No. 3 Embarkation Depot, Sandgate, Queensland. 

·         23rd of November 1941 – No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Royal Air Force (RAF), Bournemouth, England, United Kingdom.

·         29th of January 1942 – No. 1 Signals School RAF, Cranwell, England, United Kingdom.

·         17th of March 1942 – No. 14 Operational Training Unit RAF, Rutland, England, United Kingdom.

·         11th of July 1942 – 78 Squadron RAF. Middleton St George, England, United Kingdom.

From the 16th of October 1941, Herbert was officially attached to the RAF to serve in the European theatre. While serving in the United Kingdom he proposed to his fiancée, Miss Audrey Francis Woodfield, his proposal was announced in the Townsville Daily Bulletin on Tuesday the 21st of July 1942, page 4 –

“The engagement is announced of Miss Audrey Francis Woodfield, second youngest daughter of Mr and Mrs F Woodfield Mingela, via Charters Towers to Herbert Maurice Gall, youngest son of Mr and Mrs Gall, Don Delta, Bowen.

Herbert was barely at 78 Squadron for a month when his aircraft went down over the Netherlands, on the 6th of August 1942. The account is as follows (extract from the RAAFA Aviation Heritage Museum website) –

“At 2155 hours on the night of 5 August 1942 Halifax W1180 took off from Middleton St George detailed to bomb Bochum, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. The aircraft was shot down by a night fighter and crashed at the village of Donk. Three crew members were killed in the crash and the other four crew members became Prisoners of War.

The crew members of W1180 were:

·         Sergeant John William Clarke (943810) (RAFVR) (Wireless Air Gunner)

·         Sergeant Herbert Maurice Gall (405205) (Mid Upper Gunner)

·         Sergeant John Richard Gilbert (R/109675) (RCAF) (Rear Gunner)

·         Sergeant A Greenacre (566668) (RAF) (Flight Engineer) Prisoner of War

·         Flying Officer R Shipley (136330) (RAFVR) (Navigator) Prisoner of War

·         Sergeant J C Stevens (1109282) (RAFVR) (Pilot) Prisoner of War

·         Sergeant D Willoughby (1053157) (RAFVR) (Air Bomber) Prisoner of War

Sergeant Stevens later reported “The aircraft was on fire. Petrol in the fuselage was on fire. I ordered bale out. There was no answer from Gall. I presume he was unable to abandon the aircraft. It was not possible to reach him, the inter com was damaged and very bad. I abandoned the aircraft myself.”

The following month, Herbert’s death was published in the Bowen Independent on Friday the 25th of September 1942, Page 2 –

“Mr W. Gall, Merinda, advises having received the following telegram from the Air Board, Melbourne: “Regret to inform you that your son, Herbert Maurice Gall, previously reported missing, now reported missing believed to have lost his life on the 6th August. This information is based on reports received through Air Ministry London from International Red Cross Commission quoting German sources. Any further information received will be immediately conveyed to you.”

Herbert was survived by his fiancée, parents and siblings. For a number years after his death his surviving relatives placed a memorial in the Bowen Independent, the article from Friday the 1st of August 1947, page 4, reads –

“Roll of Honour – Gall – In loving memory of our dear son and brother 405205 Sgt. H. M. (“Bert”) Gall, killed in action over Germany on the 5th August 1942. Buried in Vinlo, Holland. Too dearly loved to be forgotten. Inserted by his loving father, brothers and sister.”

References –

·         SERGEANTt Herbert Maurice “Bert” Gall (1915-1942) - Find a Grave Memorial

·         GALL Herbert Maurice 405205 – Aviation Heritage Museum

·         Trove NLA Website

·         AWM Website

·         NAA Website

·         RAFRA - Royal Air Force Acronyms and Abbreviations

S Cox, PM, January 2025