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George Eric BALL DFC
From Tankerton, Kent, was a candidate for a short service commission when he began his elementary flying training in April 1937. On 17th July he was posted to 7 FTS Peterborough and on completion of the course he joined 19 Squadron at Duxford on 19th February 1938.
Over Dunkirk on 26th May 1940 Ball destroyed a Me109 and was wounded himself. During the night of 18th/19th June he shot down a He111 north of Colchester. On 24th June 1940 Ball joined 242 Squadron at Coltishall as 'A' Flight Commander. On 30th August he claimed a He111 destroyed, shared another and damaged a Me110, on 7th September he claimed a Me110 destroyed and a Me109 damaged, on the 9th a Me109 destroyed, on the 18th a Ju88 and on the 27th a Me109 damaged. Ball was awarded the DFC (gazetted 1st October 1940) as an Acting Flight Lieutenant.
Posted from 242 on 29th January 1941, he joined 73 Squadron in the Western Desert as a Flight Commander. On 11th April 1941, very soon after his arrival, Ball flew into a sandstorm and was forced down and taken prisoner.
Camp:-Sagan & Belaria PoW Number 3600
After his release at the end of the war Ball was given command of 222 Squadron at Fairwood Common in October 1945. He was killed aged 27 in a flying accident on 1st February 1946 when Meteor III EE448 failed to recover from a spiral dive during an aerobatic practice near Fairmile in Devon.
He is buried in Exeter Higher Cemetery. Sec. Z.K. Grave 130.
Son of Frank Frederic and Mary Ball; husband of Renee Ball, of Tankerton, Kent.
Ref
Battle of Britain London Monument
CWGC
