Sqn Ldr Tony Gaze DFC OAM, RIP

[Steve Brew]

Dear all

No doubt many of you will be saddened to hear that Sqn Ldr F. A. O. Tony Gaze DFC OAM passed away last night (Sunday evening Melbourne time), 28 July 2013. It was announced on the radio here this morning.

From my 'Blood, Sweat and Valour' (2012): GAZE, FREDERICK ANTHONY OWEN ‘Tony’, 60096, RAFVR; b Melb, Aust, 3 Feb 20; ed Geelong (CE) GS, Corio VIC; studied Natural Sciences, Queens’ Coll, Cambridge Uni, 1938-39; enl in RAFVR, 6 Jan 40; LAC (911051), 1 ITW, Cambridge, 26 Jul 40; 7 EFTS, Desford, 26 Jul 40-3 Sep 40, 5 SFTS Sealand, 10 Sep 40; 5 SFTS, Ternhill, 3 Nov-31 Dec 40; com Prob Plt Off (60096), 15 Jan 41 (sen 9 Jan 41); 610 (Cty of Chester) Sqn (Spit IIa), Whmpnt, 10 Mar-18 Nov 41; 1 Dest & 1 Prob Me109E, 26 Jun 41; 1 Dam Me109E, 2 Jul 41; ½ Dest Me109E, 6 Jul 41; 1 Dest Me109F & 1 Dest Me109E, 10 Jul 41; 1 Prob Me109F, 17 Jul 41; DFC (610 Sqn), 5 Aug 41; FI, 57 OTU (Spit), Hwdn, Flint, 21 Nov 41-3 Jun 42 (OC B Flt, 57 OTU, 17 Mar-3 Jun 42); Plt Off cnfmd & to Fg Off, 15 Jan 42 (sen 9 Jan 42); att Merlin Eng Handling Crse, RR, Derby, 28 Apr 42; Flt Cdr, 616 (S Yks) Sqn (Spit VI), Kingscliffe, 3 Jun-31 Aug 42; 1 Prob FW190, 13 Jul 42; 1 Dest & 1 Dam FW190, 18 Jul 42; 1 Dest Do217, 19 Aug 42; OC, 64 Sqn (Spit IX), Hnch, 1 Sep-2 Nov 42; 1 Dam FW190, 6 Sep 42; 1 Dam FW190, 11 Oct 42; apparent scapegoat for failed Spit IX Wing op he led to cover B17 raid on Morlaix, F., in which all but 1 of 133 (Eagle) Sqn’s aircraft were lost, 26 Sep 42; rtnd to 616 (S Yks) Sqn as Flt Cdr, 9 Nov 42-8 Jan 43; Flt Lt (WS), 15 Jan 43 (sen 9 Jan 43; gaz 11 May 43); 1st Bar to DFC (616 Sqn), 19 Jan 43; PR speech-maker for Dept PR3, Air Min, 20 Jan-23 May 43; SHQ Hnch, (Sup w 453, 222 & 129 Sqns.), Hnch, Esx, 24 May-24 Aug 43; att 268 (TacR) Sqn (Mstg & Typhn) as FI, Odiham, 20 Jun-9 Jul 43; 1 Dam FW190, 16 Aug 43; 1 Dest FW190, 17 Aug 43; 1 Prob Me109G, 19 Aug 43; OC A Flt, 66 Sqn (Spit Vb/c), Kenley, 26 Aug-4 Sep 43; 1 Dest FW190, 4 Sep 43; SD over Ault in Spit Vb, AR281, by Lt Gerhard Vogt in FW190 of II/JG26, 4 Sep 43; evaded capture & rtnd via Spain & Gib; arr UK & admtd to hosp for surgery to repair facial dam, 28 Oct 43; AFDU, Wtrg, 10 Feb 44; Ftr Afltn duties, 5 Grp, Bomber Cmd, Swinderby, 14 Feb 44; Flt Cdr, 610 (Cty of Chester) Sqn (Spit XIV), Friston, 22 Jul 44-4 Mar 45 (dsbnd); 1 Dest V1, 5 Aug 44; OC B Flt, 610 Sqn, 31 Dec 44-10 Mar 45; 1 Dest FW190D, 1 Jan 45; 1 Dest Me262, 14 Feb 45; 83 GSU (Spit XIV), Dnsfld, 11 Mar-4 Apr 45; 41 Sqn, 5 Apr-1 May 45; OC A Flt, 41 Sqn, 8 Apr-1 May 45; 1 Dest Ju52/3m, Ottersburg, G., 11 Apr 45; ½ Dest Ar234 w Flt Lt D. S. V. Rake, W of Bremen, G., 12 Apr 45; ½ Dest FW190D w Fg Off J. F. Wilkinson, Schwerin, G., 28 Apr 45; 1 Dest FW190D, N of Lauenberg, G., 30 Apr 45; OC A Flt, 616 (S Yks) Sqn (Meteor F3), B.109 Quackenbrück, 1 May 45; 2nd Bar to DFC (610 Sqn), 1 Jun 45; app OC when 616 (S Yks) Sqn dsbnd & formed nucleus of new 263 Sqn, 31 Aug 45; OC, Eng Sch, Rolls Royce, Derby, Dec 45; OC, 691 (Navy Co-Op) Sqn (Martinet, Oxford, Spit), Exeter, 10 May 46; CGI & OC Test Flt, 61 OTU (Spit), Keevil, 1 Sep 46; rel com as Flt Lt in RAFVR, 8 Mar 48, rtng Sqn Ldr; rtnd to Aust & emp on fthr’s farm, then emp in Import-Export coy; com Fg Off, 21 Sqn RAAF (CAF, Wirraway), Laverton, 23 Jan 49; rtnd to UK as racing drvr & exchange plt w 600 Sqn RAuxAF (Meteor F.4), Bgn Hill, 2 Jul 50 (exchange cxld due RAF wanting more flg than RAAF willing to pay); occ F2 racing drvr, 1951, & F1 racing drvr, 1952; occ racing drvr, sports cars & ‘Formula Libre’, until 1957; competitor, World Gliding Championships, Cologne, G., 1960; res Herts to 1976, then rtnd to Aust to farm; OAM (for svce to mtr racing), 26 Jan 06

May he rest in peace

Regards
Steve