One of the unsung heroes during World War Two

When War was declared on 3rd September 1939, one of the first applicants for the RNZAF was
James William GEORGE.

As there were a lot of applications, and not enough staff to action them, it was not until January 1940 that he was admitted, given the Service Number NZ 40722 and commenced training.

After initial training at Levin, where, like everybody has to, he was taught which is his left foot, and how to march, he was posted to Ohakea and commenced his training as an Air Gunner,

The first flight, on 17th April 1940, was in a Vickers Vincent NZ 358, using a camera gun to learn “Basic Deflection” aiming and ‘shooting, his first flight was 30 minutes.

By the end the month he had passed as an Air Gunner and was posted to Britain. There is no mention of what ship or the route that they took to get there.

On 12th August 12 was his first flight in a Wellington at No 15 OTU, where after 45.10 daylight and 12.15 night flying time he was posted to No 75 [NZ] Squadron, at Feltwell, flying Wellingtons.

By the 9th he had crewed with P/O Hankins as his pilot and commenced his operational duties.

There is no mention of any other crew members names.

On the 18th of September, their first operational sortie to Ostend was turned back, however, two nights later they did manage to visit Ostend and later in the month Le Havre.

With the new month, they extended their visiting to include Hamburg, Le Havre, Kiel, Hamburg, twice, and rounded the month with Kiel.

Twice they were forced to land at other Stations, and the longest flight was 7.15 hours.

In November, on the first attempt to go to Berlin they were recalled and crashed when landing.
All the damage must have been to the airplane as two nights later they went to Munich, followed by Hamburg, Berlin twice and finished the month over Cologne, the longest flight was 9.40 to Munich.

Leading up to Christmas they visited Lorient, Bremen, and Manheim, all much shorter flights, with the last flight at 6.15 hours flying time.

In January, after a flight to Bremen, there is a crew change, possibly P/O Hankins had completed his tour, and P/O Burton takes up the reins as the pilot.

In February 1941, they visit Le Havre, Hanover and Gelsenkirchen and Wilhelmshaven.

There may have been an accident around this time as some of the ‘In Squadron’ history books include him in their Roll of Honour.

At this stage of the war, the number of operations for a tour was 20, this was later extended to 25 and eventually to 30 due to the shortage of trained aircrew.

As he had completed 22 operations he had completed his tour and was starting his second.

In June 1941 he reappears at No 23 OTU [Operational Training Unit]at Pershore, still flying in Wellingtons, as a gunnery instructor, still a Sergeant.

Between September 1941 and April 1942 there is a space in is flying log book, and a move to Manby
followed by another spell until August 1942 when he reappears at 23 OTU Pershore, still as a gunnery instructor.

On 19 September 1942, he has moved to 57 Squadron, Scampton, flying in Lancasters as Mid Upper Gunner.

The following month he is back in Wellingtons and the occasional Hampton at CGS [Central Gunnery School?] Sutton Bridge.

In November he is again in a Lancaster, as Mid Upper Gunner on a 9.25 hour visit to Genom.

At the time, to become an Officer it was normally required that you had School Certificate, sat for at the completion of the sixth form [year 11 to 12, 16 to 17 years old], somewhere, in the between flying he has managed to complete his education from form 2 [year 6 to 7, 11 to 12 years old] to the required level.

There are notations in his log book of promotions from LAC to Sergeant, Flight Sergeant and F/Lt,
his photo, with an Officers dress cap, is showing his Air Gunner Wings, so it must be before he went pilot training

Again a break, and in May 1943, at No 4 EFTS [Elementry Flying Training School] he has his first flight in a Tiger Moth as a pilot under training, after 6 flights and 4.20 hours he goes solo for the first time.

One of four known rear/tail gunners who transferred from the rear to the front as a fighter pilot.

After 12 .10 hours flying time, he leaves the EFTS to go to Canada to complete his training.

Total flying time 293.35 hours including 193.40 night flying and 12.10 student pilot.

On 8th February 1945, he was posted, as a Flight Lieutenant to No 485 [NZ] Squadron, and flew at least three reconnaissance flights over the area before the end of the War.

Somehow F/L J H Skelly RCAF J24501, F/O P J Lim RCAF and F/L J W George RNZAF 40722 were in a Mosquito MM 567 on a cross-country flight from B106 Twente Netherlands to B105 Drope Germany, where 485 [NZ] Squadron was situated.

The aircraft, a NF Mk X111 Night Fighter from 409 [Nighthawk] RCAF Squadron took off from Twente at 10.00 Hours,
and at about 10.10 hours [10.10 am] the aircraft had was trying to formate on another Mosquito when it
stalled and crashed into a field at Hof Espelo, close to the airfield, also killing two Dutch Civilians on the ground.

They are buried together in the Enschede Cemetery.

at the time of his death, Jim had 1043 hours flying time, 30 ops.