England, George Albert
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | George Albert |
Surname | England |
Gender | M |
Age | 28 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 21-04-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of William Thomas England and Minnie Ella England (née Taylor), of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | JP199 |
Markings | NA-O |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Brookwood Military Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 48. H. 10. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 161 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/22437 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 428 (Ghost) |
Trade | Air Bomber |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to fomer St. Georges Hotel, Teesside Airport, County Durham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed slate tablets |
Memorial Text | Dedicated to all who served on 428 (RCAF) Sqn at Middleton St. George during WWII, especially those who made the supreme sacrifice |
Miscellaneous Information
S/L McGugan stayed at the controls to give the remainder of the crew time to make their escape, leaving him unable to save himself. F/O England's parachute failed to open. |
George was born at Cappon, Alberta. His father, a farmer, was born at Sarnia, Ontario (and was deceased by the time of George's enlistment) and his mother was born in Exeter, Ontario. He had two brothers, John Irl and William Carlyle also three sisters Margaret, Rose Etta and Ivy Beatrice, all living in Calgary. The schools he attended were Oyen Public School 1921-1926, McDougall Public School, Calgary 1926-1928, Central High School, Calgary 1928-1933. (Senior Matric), Hepburn College 1932-1933. Bookkeeping, shorthand,typing, University of Alberta, 1936-1938 (diploma in pharmacy). His sport interests were tennis, basketball, and swimming and his hobby was music. George worked for McDermid Drug Company, Lacombe as an apprentice 1933-1936 but left to go to University. He was a manager at Dick’s Drug Store, Drumheller, 1938-1941 and finally was a travelling Salesman for John Wyeth and Brother, wholesale Drugs, 1941- until enlistment. |
He enlisted on 2 February 1942. The only movement shown in his records is one showing he departed Halifax on 26 March 1943. George sadly lost his life from 428 Squadron on 21 April 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1850/8 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1850/7 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 20-04-1944 |
End Date | 21-04-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Middleton St. George |
Day/Night Raid | Night (5% moon) |
Operation | Mining in French waters |
Reason for Loss | One engine caught fire at 20000' and the Halifax was subsequently abandoned. Crashed onto a farm near Didcot, Berkshire |