The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (405679) Sergeant Cecil Clive Hale, No. 100 Squadron, Second World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (405679) Sergeant Cecil Clive Hale, No. 100 Squadron, Second World War.

405679 Sergeant Cecil Clive Hale, No. 100 Squadron
KIA 3 October 1942
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 1 October 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Sergeant Cecil Clive Hale.

Cecil Hale was born on 19 March 1921 in Barcaldine, Queensland, to Thomas and May Hale. His family moved to Capella when he was a small boy, and he attended the Capella State School. When he was old enough he was sent to Rockhampton High School before returning to Capella. There he worked as a station hand like his father, and also took odd jobs as a relieving telegraph messenger and an assistant in a butcher and refrigeration shop. He was an active sportsman, playing football, tennis, golf, and cricket. In 1940 he commenced a part time diesel engineering course with the Australian Technical Schools in Sydney, at which he excelled.

Cecil cut short his engineering course to enlist in the Royal Australian Air Force on 24 May 1941. He began training as aircrew, following which he was remustered to wireless operator air gunner and promoted to sergeant in April 1942. A few days later he was posted to No. 100 Squadron as an aircrew member in Beaufort bombers.

Hale’s squadron flew regular operations around the Solomon Islands and New Guinea. They were primarily involved in reconnaissance and anti-shipping work. In early October 1942 Hale was in a Beaufort bomber A.9-60 as part of a formation of ten sent to make an attack on shipping near the Solomon Islands. Hale’s Beaufort was flying to the right of the formation commander and about twenty minutes before dawn split off from the formation as arranged, to fly in low and make the strike. No following communication of any kind was heard from him, and the aircraft failed to return. It was never seen again.

Sergeant Hale’s fate remained uncertain for many years. Extensive searches failed to show anything, but it was known that a number of RAAF personnel had been captured by the Japanese in the area.

The Japanese released very little information concerning prisoners in their hands, and would not allow the International Red Cross Society to come in and report on the situation, so it was difficult to be sure that Hale and his three crewmates were not in enemy hands. After the war the Japanese garrison in the Solomon Islands gave information about unreported prisoners of war, but no information was related to any of the crew. He was officially presumed to have lost his life on 3 October 1942 at the age of 21. His final resting place is unknown.

Cecil Hale’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, along with more than 40,000 others from the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Sergeant Cecil Clive Hale, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.