Gilbert Ferguson Sage married Isabella Smith at "York House" Perth in July 1944 and their son, Robert George Sage, was born at Craigie Park Nursing Home on 15th April 1945. Isabella Sage (Smith) married Alexander Taylor in Perth in 1950.

On 1st August 1940, No. 7 Squadron formed with the Short Stirling, making it the first RAF squadron to use one of the four engine heavy bombers. As the first Stirling squadron, in October 1942, No 7 Squadron became the Stirling element of the Pathfinder Force. It remained with the Pathfinders for the rest of the war, converting to the Avro Lancaster in July 1943.

No 7 Squadron was based at: Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire (23 September 1939-4 April 1940); Finningley, South Yorkshire (30 April-20 May 1940); Leeming, North Yorkshire (1 August-29 October 1940); and Oakington, Cambridgeshire (29 October 1940-24 July 1945).

Perthshire Advertiser, 8th March 1947

“INTIMATIONS - DEATHS"

“SAGE.-Missing since 21st February, 1945, now notified killed while on Pathfinding duties over Germany, Flt./Sgt. Gilbert F. Sage, navigator R.A.F., beloved husband of Isobel Smith, 4d Ruthven Place, and son of Mr and Mrs R. Sage, 24 Gray Street, aged 23."

Perthshire Advertiser 12th March 1947

“LOST OVER GERMANY"

“Flight-Sergt. Gilbert F. Sage, Perth airman, whose relatives - as reported in our last issue - have been informed that he lost his life when his ’plane crashed in flames near the German village of Horcheim in 1945, less than three months before the end of the European War. He had been listed as missing since then. His widow resides at 4d Ruthven Place, and his parents at 24 Gray Street, Perth.”

“AIRMAN’S FATE CONFIRMED AFTER TWO YEARS"

“Relatives of Flight-Sergeant Gilbert F. Sage, a 23-year-old Perth airman who was reported missing less than three months before the end of the European War, have now been informed that he lost his life when his plane crashed in flames near the German village of Horcheim."

“Flt.-Sgt. Sage was married in the summer of 1944 and his young widow resided at 4 Ruthven Place. His parents’ home is at 24 Gray Street. Sage had been in the R.A.F. for three years and had actually completed his series of operational flights when he met his death. He had volunteered for path-finder duties prior to the bombing of an important German canal and was navigating a Lancaster when it received a direct hit."

“Six of the crew were killed when the plane crashed. Only the pilot and one of the gunners succeeded in bailing out. Sgt. Sage’s relatives were unaware that he was on ‘ops.’ until they received word that he was missing on February 22, 1945."

“In a letter which Mrs Sage received on Wednesday, the Air Ministry state that officers of the R.A.F. Missing, Research and Enquiry Service have now visited the scene of the crash and identified the wreckage of the Lancaster. After enquiry, it was ascertained that the remains of the six crew members were recovered from the plane and buried in a cemetery at Weinsheim, near Worms, Western Germany."

“’It was observed that the graves were well kept.’ the letter states, ’and that each was marked with a cross indicating that it was the burial place of unknown English airmen killed on February 21, 1945.’ It is also explained in the letter that it has been decided that the Fallen in Germany will not remain in isolated graves but shall be transferred to special cemeteries where their graves will always be reverently attended by the staff of the Imperial War Graves Commission."

“Prior to joining up Sgt. Sage was a travelling salesman for Lexicon Libraries.”

MISSION TO WORMS

Took off from RAF Oakington, Cambridgeshire at 1718 hrs. Those who died are buried in Durnbach War Cemetery. On being liberated, Sgt Clydesdale was admitted to RAF Hospital Wroughton. Flt Sgt Watson was flying as the visual air bomber. At 19, Fg Off Robertson was one of the youngest officers to be killed on Bomber Command operations on 1945.

Crew:- Pilot : Flight Lieutenant James Blair Murdoch Liddell RAF 136443 (PoW) Flight Engineer : Sergeant William Edward Pickering RAFVR 1122361 (Killed) Navigator : Flight Sergeant Gilbert Ferguson Sage RAFVR 1566413 (Killed) Bomb Aimer : Flight Sergeant John Ronald Mears RAFVR 1395032 (Killed) Visual Bomb Aimer : Flight Sergeant Harold Munro Watson RAFVR 1555045 (Killed) Wireless Operator : Flying Officer Gordon Angus Robertson RAFVR 168782 (Killed) Mid-Upper Gunner : Sergeant H N Clydesdale RAF (PoW) Rear Gunner : Sergeant Peter Louis Wyndham Scott RAFVR 1804436 (Killed)