Samuel was born on 15 January 1905 to single mother Amy Dale in Northwich, Cheshire. In the 3Q 1907 Amy married Benjamin Leonard Wilkinson, had a son Thomas in 1909 and the family continued to live in Northwich as recorded in the 1911 Census.

He entered the Royal Navy when he boarded HMS IMPREGNABLE a “Boy Training Ship” in Devonport dockyard and signed on as a Boy Second Class on 27 July 1920 aged 15 years and 6 months. He was advanced to Boy First Class on 14 March 1921. Upon completion of basic training he was drafted to HMS DOLPHIN on 2 August 1921 for a 2 month “Submariners” course which he completed on 12 October 1921 and was then drafted to HMS MAIDSTONE based in Harwich still rated as Boy 1c.

On the 23 March 1922 HMS H42 was struck by a fast moving destroyer as she was surfacing just off Europa Point Gibraltar, the collision sent H42 to the sea bed, deep below, very quickly and there was no chance of escape for any of the 26 crew members.

Boy 1c Samuel George Dale was one of those that perished, aged 17 years and 2 months.