LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant David Hayward STEELE
Service No: 416291
Born: College Town SA, 20 April 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 28 April 1941
Unit: No. 453 Squadron, RAF Station Drem, East Lothian
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 453 Squadron Spitfire aircraft BM647), East Lothian, 28 August 1942, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Dirleton Cemetery, East Lothian
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Robert Moore Steele and Florence Muriel Steele, of Heathpool, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 105, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide
Brother of Sergeant Geoffrey Moore Steele (407810)
At 1545 hours on 28 August 1942, Spitfire BM647 dived into the ground at high speed five and a half miles south east of Haddington near Garbald and the Pilot, Sergeant Steele, was killed. The aircraft was detailed to do a dogfight with Sergeant Leith at 30,000 feet. BM647 flew in line astern from 20,000 feet and Sergeant Colin Russell Leith DFC (411790) did not known what height Steele got into trouble. The dogfight was never commenced. Until he reached 20,000 feet, Sergeant Steele was flying in a V formation with Sergeant Leith.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/163/482