Squadron Leader P W F Landale DFC

Peter Landale was granted a Commission in the RAF on 16th March 1937 as P/O and rose to F/O on an unknown date. He relinquished his Commission of F/O in the RAF on 16th March 1939 but on the same day was granted a commission in the RAFVR as F/O (with seniority backdated to 16th September 1938). Effectively transferred from the regular RAF to the Reserve. On 13th November 1940 he was the pilot of Whitley T4232 tasked with Ops to Lorient, while outbound the aircraft crashed in South Wales, four of the crew were injured and one sadly died. F/O Landale was seriously injured spending a long period in hospital. He rose to F/Lt (war subs) on 18th May 1941. As Acting S/Ldr he was the pilot of Whitley Z6624 on 25th July 1941 on Ops to Hannover. The aircraft crashed into the North Sea and his body was never found. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, he was twenty six years old. The formal notification of his DFC came through after his death and appeared in the London Gazette dated 13th March 1942 but the award was backdated. The citation reads.."awarded with effect from July 17th 1941. By his great courage, skill and personal example S/Ldr Landale has set a very high standard of airmanship in the squadron. These high qualities did not diminish after receiving injuries in a crash as a result of which he was in hospital for six months. He was one of the most reliable captains in the squadron."

His name appears in a number of places around his home area, he is listed on the Kirkmahoe War Memorial inside the village church.