Sale, Douglas Julian (Squadron Leader)

Prisoner of War KIA 1944-February-20

Squadron Leader Douglas Julian Sale RCAF

Birth Date: 1914-February-28

Born: Penetanguishene, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada

Parents: Son of Julian Sale Edith Sarah (nee Spohn) Sale. Foster son of Mr and Mrs J S Holmstead of Toronto, Ontario

Spouse:

Home: Toronto, Ontario

Enlistment: Toronto, Ontario

Enlistment Date: 1942-January-22

Service

RCAF

Unit

35 (PFF) Sqn- Squadron (RAF)
Uno Anima Agimus We Act with One Accord

Base

RAF Graveley

Rank

Squadron Leader

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

J/9929

Home

Toronto, Ontario

Target

Leipzig Germany

Temporary Burial

Champigneul Cemetery, France

Remains were later exhumed from this location and reburied

Final Burial

Choloy War Cemetery
1 G 8

Sale had been reported missing on May 13, 1943 during a trip over enemy territory in 35 Pathfinder Sqn Halifax II aircraft W7885 TL-B. He evaded capture and was reported safe in Gibraltar on August 4, 1943

On December 20, 1943, returning from a trip to Frankfurt, Germany and about to land, had a Target Indicator bomb malfunction in the bomb bay and the aircraft, Halifax III HX 328 TL-J caught fire. Sale regained altitude so that his crew could bale, which most were able to do. As he was himself about to bale, he found that his mid-upper gunner Lamb was unable to jump, as his parachute was damaged by the fire. Sale resumed control of his aircraft and managed to land safely and taxi off the runway. Sale and Lamb escaped the burning aircraft, which exploded as they ran for their lives. Both men survived to fly together again

Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Command Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock page 396

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Commonwealth War Grave Commission International Bomber Command Centre

Find-A-Grave Finadagrave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Halifax HX325

Flight Lieutenant Boris Olen Bodnar RCAF

Flight Lieutenant Bodnar, Boris Olen (RCAF)
Navigator
Prisoner of War
1944-February-20
cemetery unknown

Squadron Leader Gordon Henry Francis Carter RCAF

Squadron Leader Carter, Gordon Henry Francis (RCAF)
Navigator/Bomb Aimer
Prisoner of War
1944-February-20
cemetery unknown

Warrant Officer George Henry Cross RAF

Warrant Officer Cross, George Henry (RAF)
Flight Engineer
Prisoner of War
1944-February-20
cemetery unknown

Flight Sergeant Kenneth Knight RAFVR

Flight Sergeant Knight, Kenneth (RAFVR)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1944-February-20
CWG Cemetery, Hanover, Germany

Flight Lieutenant Robert Lionel Lamb RAFVR

Flight Lieutenant Lamb, Robert Lionel (RAFVR)
Air Gunner
Prisoner of War
1944-February-20
cemetery unknown

Flight Lieutenant Harold John Rogers RAFVR

Flight Lieutenant Rogers, Harold John (RAFVR)
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner
Prisoner of War
1944-February-20
cemetery unknown

Squadron Leader Douglas Julian Sale RCAF

Squadron Leader Sale, Douglas Julian (RCAF)
Pilot
Prisoner of War KIA
1944-February-20
Choloy War Cemetery, Meurthe-Etmoselle, France

Mission

Halifax B/GR.Mk.III HX325

Combat Leipzig Germany 1944-February-19 to 1944-February-20

35 (PFF) Sqn (RAF) RAF Graveley

35 Squadron RAF (Uno Anima Agimus), Pathfinder Force, RAF Graveley. Halifax III aircraft HX325 TL-J was shot down by a Ju88 night fighter flown by Felwebel Frank of NJG3 on February 21, 1944 while engaged in an operation against targets in Leipzig, Germany. The aircraft crashed at Beedenbostel, Germany

Knight was killed by the night fighter. Sale, although wounded during the action, stayed at the controls so his crew could bale out, crash-landed his aircraft and managed to get out. It was his fiftieth trip. Sale was taken Prisoner of War and died in hospital a month later from his wounds. The rest of his surviving crew, Carter, Bodnar, Lamb, Rogers and Cross were taken as Prisoners of War

Unvetted Source Halifax HX325 (19/02/1944) I No.35 Squadron

Unvetted Source Aircraft losses from Graveley 1942-1945. I RAF Graveley

Previous Events

1943-May-13 Flight Lieutenant Evader

Halifax B/GR.Mk.IITL-A	35 PFF Sqn RAF

Halifax B/GR.Mk.II DT801

Combat Duisburg Germany 1943-May-12 to 1943-May-13

35 (PFF) Sqn (RAF) Graveley

35 Squadron RAF (Uno Anima Agimus), Pathfinder Force, RAF Graveley. Halifax II aircraft DT 801 TL-A was shot down by night fighter pilot Oberleutnant August Geiger of the 7/NJG 1, flying a Bf 110 G-4 from Twente airfield while on an operation to Duisburg, Germany, crashing behind a house in Buurse, Overijssel, Netherlands

Sawyer and Richards were killed. Elford, Heard, Moores, and Rowley survived and were taken as Prisoners of War. Elford evaded capture for several days but was picked up by the Gestapo and became a Prisoner of War. The pilot, Sale evaded capture, was reported safe in Gibraltar on August 4, 1943 and returned to service with his squadron.In Enemy Hands - Canadian Prisoners of War 1939-1945

Unvetted Source Aviation Safety Network

Unvetted Source Halifax DT801 (12/05/1943) I No. 35 Squadron

Unvetted Source search T/R number

Warrant Officer 1st Class Ross Oliver Elford RCAF

Warrant Officer 1st Class Elford, Ross Oliver (RCAF)
Air Gunner (Rear)
Prisoner of War
1943-May-13
cemetery unknown

Flying Officer Geoffrey Edward Heard RAF

Flying Officer Heard, Geoffrey Edward (RAF)
Navigator
Prisoner of War
1943-May-13
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Samuel Angus Moores RAF

Sergeant Moores, Samuel Angus (RAF)
Wireless Operator
Prisoner of War
1943-May-13
cemetery unknown

Sergeant David John Osborne Richards RAFVR

Sergeant Richards, David John Osborne (RAFVR)
Air Gunner (Mid-Upper)
Killed in Action
1943-May-13
Haaksbergen General Cemetery, Overijjsel, Netherlands

Sergeant Clarence Washington Rowley RAF

Sergeant Rowley, Clarence Washington (RAF)
Flight Engineer
Prisoner of War
1943-May-13
cemetery unknown

Squadron Leader Douglas Julian Sale RCAF

Squadron Leader Sale, Douglas Julian (RCAF)
Pilot
Evader
1943-May-13
cemetery unknown

Flight Lieutenant Rupert Claude Sawyer RAFVR

Flight Lieutenant Sawyer, Rupert Claude (RAFVR)
Bomb Aimer
Killed in Action
1943-May-13
Haaksbergen General Cemetery, Overijjsel, Netherlands

1943-December-20 Squadron Leader Survived

Halifax B/GR.Mk.IIITL-J	35 PFF Sqn RAF

Halifax B/GR.Mk.III HX328

Combat Frankfurt Germany 1943-December-19 to 1943-December-20

35 (PFF) Sqn (RAF) Graveley UK

35 Squadron RAF (Uno Anima Agimus), Pathfinder Force, RAF Graveley. Halifax III aircraft HX 328 TL-J, returning from an operation to Frankfurt, Germany had a Target Illuminator (TI) munition malfunction, which ignited in the aircraft bomb bay as it was preparing to land. Sale gained altitude to allow his crew to bale from the burning aircraft, which most were able to do. As Sale was himself about to bale, he realized that his mid-upper gunner, Lamb was unable to bale due to a fire-damaged parachute. Sale resumed control of the bomber and managed to land it safely and taxi off the runway. Both he and Lamb escaped from the aircraft, which exploded as they ran to get clear. Both men survived and continued to fly together. Carpenter suffered a broken ankle.

Sale was awarded a Bar to his DSO for this act of determination and braveryinformation from book: The Pathfinder Companion War Diaries of the RAF Pathfinder Force-1942-1945 by Sean Feast, Grub Street Press 2012

Unvetted Source 1943-02 I No. 35 Squadron

Flying Officer Carpenter,George Carpenter RAF

Flying Officer Carpenter,George (RAF)
Air Gunner
Survived
1943-December-20
cemetery unknown

Squadron Leader Gordon Henry Francis Carter RCAF

Squadron Leader Carter, Gordon Henry Francis (RCAF)
Navigator/Bomb Aimer
Survived
1943-December-20
cemetery unknown

Warrant Officer George Henry Cross RAF

Warrant Officer Cross, George Henry (RAF)
Flight Engineer
Survived
1943-December-20
cemetery unknown

Flt. Lieutenant Alan James Dowling RAF

Flt. Lieutenant Dowling, Alan James (RAF)
Navigator
Survived
1943-December-20
cemetery unknown

Flight Lieutenant Robert Lionel Lamb RAF

Flight Lieutenant Lamb, Robert Lionel (RAF)
Air Gunner
Survived
1943-December-20
cemetery unknown

Warrant Officer Marcus Rees RAF