Introduction

Biography

Bale’s par­ents were ev­ident­ly in the Sal­va­tion Army (SA) in Brank­some (near Poole, Do­rset).

After two years in the Roy­al Air Force, he went to the SA In­ter­na­tion­al Train­ing Col­lege in 1954. He worked for a decade with youth and as a corps of­fi­cer, then went to the ed­it­or­ial de­part­ment at SA In­ter­na­tion­al Head­quarters in 1964.

He ed­it­ed All the World (1967–68) and Van­guard (1968–72), was as­sist­ant ed­it­or of The War Cry (1972–74), and ed­it­ed The Mu­si­cian (1974–77).

He went on to serve the SA at Roch­dale (near Manc­hes­ter) (1977–78), as Aus­tra­li­an Ed­it­or-in-Chief (1978–83); Sec­re­ta­ry of the North Lon­don Di­vi­sion (1983–85); and as Ed­it­or-in-Chief at the SA In­ter­na­tion­al Head­quar­ters (1985), hav­ing reached the rank of lieu­ten­ant co­lo­nel.