Buchanan, George Henderson Pepper
Personal Information
Rank | Sgt |
Forename(s) | George Henderson Pepper |
Surname | Buchanan |
Gender | M |
Age | 26 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 17-08-1941 |
Next of Kin | Foster son of Robert Marks Buchanan and Mary Buchanan (née Pepper), of Saskatoon Saskatchewan, Canada. Husband of Ina Mabel Clara Buchanan (née Larson), whom he married on 25 January 1941 at Saskatoon. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley V |
Serial Number | Z6754 |
Markings | EY- |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
Burial/Memorial Place | Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Nijmegen |
Grave Reference | 12. B. 5. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 138 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/62170 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 78 |
Trade | WOp/AG |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Clubhouse, Breighton Airfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | Dedicated to all who served at this airfield and gave their lives during World War II |
Location | External, All Saints Church, Bubwith, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial, inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | 78 Sqn 4 Group Bomber Command Yorkshire 1939 - 1945 To All Who Served |
Location | Internal, All Saints Church, Bubwith, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Wooden Board, Memorial Chapel featuring Cross made from Halifax wreckage |
Memorial Text | The 78 Sqn Memorial in the Churchyard was dedicated by the Bishop of Selby on 7th September 1986. RAF Breighton, two miles from this church was the Sqn's home from June 1943 to May 1945 |
Location | Outside "B" Hangar, RAF Benson, Oxfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone & Inscribed Slate Plaque |
Memorial Text | In proud memory of all who have lost their lives serving with 78 Sqn Royal Air Force "Nemo Non Paratus - Nobody Unprepared" |
Miscellaneous Information
George was born on 10 January 1915 at Lanark, Ontario. Both foster parents were born in Ontario and were his aunt and uncle (His parents names were Jean Brown and George Pepper). The schools he attended were Victoria School, Public, 1920-1928 (general course) and Nutana, Collegiate. 1929-1934 (Grades 9-12). The sports George engaged in were golf, swimming, shooting and rugby and his hobby was hunting small game. George worked for his foster father for five years at R.M.Buchanan-Sumner Co. Ltd. as a clerk-salesman between 1935-1940 and then enlisted on 20 June 1940. |
After enlistment and early training, he was sent to the U.K. where he arrived on 2 March 1941. He then went on to 12 OTU on 15 March, 1 SS 3 April 1941, 19 OTU 24 May 1941 and 78 Squadron 22 July 1941. George was to lose his life the following month on 17 August 1941. |
Casualty Pack Number Find Out More
AIR 81/8369 (P361442/41) |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/660/28 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/660/27 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 16-08-1941 |
End Date | 17-08-1941 |
Takeoff Station | Middleton St. George |
Day/Night Raid | Night (32% moon) |
Operation | Cologne |
Reason for Loss | Coned by searchlights and shot down above Roermond at 0241hrs by Hptm. Werner Streib of Stab I./NJG 1, crashing into a railway bridge at Buggenum, 5km NNW of Roermond, Holland. The crew were initially buried in Ehrenfriedhof (Cemetery of Honour), Venlo. |