Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flying Officer

Unit:

No. 20 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

August 11th, 1944

Recommendation (drafted 2 May 1944 when he had flown 104 hours 15 minutes on operations):
"This officer has shown extreme keenness since joining this squadron. At his own persistent request he was allowed to go on operations early last year, after an exceptionally short time on the type the squadron was then flying. In spite of this, Flying Officer Date proved himself a courageous and able pilot, carrying out some valuable sorties in the Lysanders and bringing back information which was very useful to the army. On Hurricanes he was also outstanding in his Flight, setting an example of keenness and efficiency, in his determination to press home an attack regardless of his personal safety. On 28th February 1944, Flying Officer Date was attacking a creek steamer, when a bullet entered his left side, passed through his body and lodged in his right arm. In spite of this injury and the fact that he passed out once completely in the air, he led his No.2 back to our own lines (some 20 minutes flying) before making a wheels-up landing on a forward strip. Flying Officer Date has only recently been taken off the Dangerously Injured list after a period of nearly eight weeks. "