Tony Gaze flew with the Royal Air Force in the Second World War, was a flying ace credited with 12.5 confirmed victories, and later enjoyed a successful racing career in the UK, Europe and Australia.
22 Facts About Tony Gaze
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Tony Gaze was the first ever Australian to take part in a Formula One Grand Prix.
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Tony Gaze was born in Melbourne, Victoria, on 20 February 1920, the son of Irvine Tony Gaze, a member of the Ross Sea Party who were preparing for Ernest Shackleton's expedition.
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Tony Gaze was educated at Geelong Grammar School, and when war was declared in September 1939 he was a student at Queens' College, Cambridge.
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Tony Gaze joined the RAF in 1940, and on completion of training and with 122 hours flying time recorded was posted to No 610 Squadron RAF at RAF Westhampnett in March 1941, flying cross-channel fighter sweeps.
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In November 1941 Tony Gaze was posted to No 57 OTU as an instructor.
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Tony Gaze started his second tour in June 1942, with No 616 Squadron RAF, flying the high altitude Spitfire Mk.
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On 26 September 1942 Tony Gaze led a wing of Spitfires in support of a bombing raid at Morlaix.
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Tony Gaze was made the scapegoat for the mission failure and was transferred back to No 616 Squadron as a flight commander.
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Tony Gaze crash landed 20 miles from Dieppe with slight injuries, evaded capture and made his way, with help from the French Resistance, to neutral Spain.
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In February 1944 Tony Gaze joined the Air Fighting Development Unit at Wittering, rejoining No 610 Squadron on the continent in July 1944.
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The Me 262 victory resulted in Tony Gaze being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for the third time; one of only 47 men in the Second World War.
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Tony Gaze ended the war as Australia's tenth ranking highest ace, claiming 12.5 confirmed destroyed, 4 probables, and 5 damaged in 488 combat missions, all while flying Supermarine Spitfires of various Marks.
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In 1946, Tony Gaze suggested to the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, better known as "Freddie March", that the roads around RAF Westhampnett would be a good location for a racing track.
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Tony Gaze returned to Australia after the war, and began racing an Alta racing car that he brought with him.
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Tony Gaze raced an Alta Formula 2 in Europe for the 1951 season, switching to an HWM-Alta for the following season, planning to racing again in F2.
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Tony Gaze was thrown clear as the Aston flipped over and burst into flames.
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Tony Gaze was carried to safety by spectators, and suffered only cuts and bruises.
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In 1954 and 1955, Tony Gaze raced the ex-Ascari Ferrari 500 F2 in non-championship events in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
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Tony Gaze became an active member of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Gliding Club, at Nympsfield and went on to represent Australia in the 1960 World Gliding Championships, which was held at the Butzweiler airfield, near Koln.
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Tony Gaze was married twice; to Kay Wakefield who died in 1976 and to fellow racing car driver Diana Davison who died in 2012.
22.
Tony Gaze was step-grandfather to the third generation of Davison racing drivers, Alex, Will and James.