Tony Gaze

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Tony Gaze bigraphy, stories - Motorsport

Tony Gaze : biography

3 February 1920 –

Frederick Anthony Owen Gaze DFC & Two Bars, OAM (born 3 February 1920) is a decorated World War II flying ace credited with 12.5 aerial victories and a former racing driver from Australia.

He was born in Melbourne on 20 February 1920, the son of Irvine Gaze, a member of the Ross Sea Party who were preparing for Ernest Shackleton’s expedition.

He joined the RAF in 1940, and on completion of training and with 122 hours flying time recorded was posted to No 610 Squadron in March 1941, flying cross-channel fighter sweeps. He claimed 3.5 Bf 109 kills during the summer of 1941, and was posted to 57 OTU as an instructor in November 1941. Tony’s brother, P/O Scott Gaze joined 610 Squadron with him in early 1941, but was killed in action on 23 March 1941.

He started his second tour in June 1942, with No. 616 Squadron, flying the high altitude Spitfire Mk IV. In August 1942 he was posted to command 64 Squadron on the new Spitfire IX, but after the loss of 11 131 Squadron Spitfires on an escort flight to Morlaix he was leading, Gaze was made the scapegoat and transferred back to 64 Squadron as a flight commander.

After a rest from operations in early 1943, he again was posted to an operational Squadron in August 1943, to No 66 Squadron. On 4 September 1943 over Le Tréport Gaze’s Spitfire V was shot down by Oblt Vogt of II./JG 26 (his 14th claim of an eventual 48). He bailed out safely with slight injuries, evading capture and making his way, with help from the French resistance, to neutral Spain.

In February 1944 he joined the AFDU at Wittering, joining No. 610 Squadron on the continent in July 1944. He claimed a Me 262 jet shot down on 14 February 1945 ( a Me 262A-2 of I./KG 51 flown by Fw. Rudolf Hoffmann) and shared an Arado Ar 234 jet bomber on 12 April.

The Me. 262 victory also resulted in Tony Gaze being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for the third time; the only Australian during World War II to have achieved this triple award.

After a month with No. 41 Squadron in April, on 1 May 1945 he was posted to command No. 616 squadron, flying the Gloster Meteor during the closing stages of the war.

Gaze ended the war as Australia’s tenth ranking highest ace, claiming 11 (and 3 shared) victories, 4 probables, and 5 damaged in 488 combat missions, all while flying the Supermarine Spitfire.

During the war he had also flown with some of the most famous names including Wing Commander Douglas Bader, top European war Ace Johnnie Johnson (38 victories) as part of the RAF’s Tangmere Wing and Paul Tibbets, (pilot of the ‘Enola Gay’, B29 Bomber) who dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

After the war Gaze became the first Australian to contest a World Championship motor race when he competed in the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix. His racing career saw him competing in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in open wheelers and sports cars. Driving a British Alta in 1950 Drove a Jaguar in 1954 Early in 1955 Tony helped to established Australia’s first all Australian overseas racing team called ‘The Kangaroo Stable’ that included racing drivers such as Jack Brabham, Tom Sulman, David McKay, Les Cosh and Dick Cobden but after the tragic 1955 Le Mans race84 spectators and a driver were killed. many events in Europe were cancelled leading to the Stable disbanding later that year. He also helped establish the Goodwood motor racing circuit in 1948 by suggesting it as a potential replacement for Brooklands to the then Duke of Richmond. Today the Goodwood circuit is again a premier track as it stages the annual ‘Festival of Speed’ and ‘Goodwood Revival’ meetings. Later he helped with the development of Australian motorsport and represented Australia in the 1960 World Gliding Championships in Germany. Tony Gaze was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2006 New Year’s Honours List for ‘service to the sport of motor racing’.

He participated in four World Championship Grands Prix driving his HWM, debuting on 22 June 1952. He also participated in numerous non-Championship Formula 2 races across Europe as well as competing in the Australian and New Zealand Grands Prix in the early 1950s. Gaze is also step-grandfather to the third generation of Davison racing drivers, Alex, Will and James

Tony Gaze married racing car driver Diana Davison, who was the widow of Lex Davison.

Complete World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WDC Points
1952 Tony Gaze HWM Alta Straight-4 SUI 500 BEL15 FRA GBRRet GERRet NED ITADNQ NC 0