Captain Phillip Francis Dale MC
Phillip Dale was born in 1896 at
Radclive, Buckinghamshire where his father, Herbert Dale, was
Rector.
In August 1914 his father was Rector of
Hornchurch and Phillip volunteered for the forces, joining the
11th Essex Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant and embarking to France
in August 1915.
On 26 September 1915 he took part in the
Battle of Loos and after being wounded he was captured by the
Germans.
He was taken to Germany and was held in
POW camps at Gutersloh, Furstenberg in Meckleburg, Ingolstadt
and Ludwigsafen.
His last attempt from Ludwigsafen was successful and after 2 years 7 months in captivity, Phillip was able to reach Holland safely on 12 May 1918 and return home to Chackmore, Hornchurch.
For his escape he was received by the King at Buckingham Palace and was awarded with the Military Cross.
He re-joined the war effort in France as an intelligence officer and was demobilised in March 1919.
After a month as a civilian conflict in Russia flared which saw Phillip volunteering again and serving as an intelligence office in Southern Russia from September to December 1919 at which point he was appointed as British Vice Consul of Kiev.
The MC didn't stop him being fined 20 shillings at Romford Magistrates Court in 1920 for riding a motorcycle without a licence.
In 1921 he joined the Crown Colonies Service and was sent to the Gold Coast (Now known as Ghana)
Sadly in 1926 he died while still in service in the Gold Coast.
