Sergeant William Francis Ernest Gault (950326) served in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War. He was the son of John Ernest Gault and Isabella Gault of Bangor, Co. Down.
He was a pilot in RAF 245 (North Rhodesian) Squadron. During the evacuation of Dunkirk, RAF 245 Squadron operated a detachment from RAF Hawkinge, Kent. The rest of the squadron was at RAF Drem, East Lothian.
After Dunkirk, in July 1940, the entire squadron moved to RAF Aldergrove, Co. Antrim on defensive duties during the Battle of Britain. It was while based in Northern Ireland, Sergeant Gault died on 4th April 1941 aged 20 years old. He was the pilot of Hurricane V7678 that crashed near Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim.
William Francis Ernest Gault’s grave is in Section 4V, Grave 39 of Bangor Cemetery, Bangor, Co. Down. His headstone bears the inscription:
Went the day well? I died and never knew. Well or ill, freedom, I died for you.