131605 F/O John George England Royal Canadian Air Force 428 Squadron from:Canada (d.20th April 1944) I am trying to learn more about the death of this brave flyer on behalf of a relative of his who has contacted me for assistance. According to the information she has sent me, John George England took off from Middleton St. George on 20th or 21st April 1944 to carry out a bombing raid on German occupied France. He was flying a Halifax II, Somewhere between Middleton St George and Didcot the plane developed trouble and it was necessary for the crew to bail out. John George apparently died when his parachute failed to open due to the fact it had suffered shrapnel damage on an earlier mission.
If anyone has any information that might help me build a picture of the event, or has knowledge of the man himself please contact me.
Update: Halifaz JP199 coded NA-O took off at 21:15 on the 20th of Apr 1944 from Middleton St.George to lay mines in French waters. Shortly after reaching 20,000 feet an engine caught fire and the pilot was unable to maintain control so ordered his crew to bail out. The Halifax came down about a mile north east of Dielert Ladygrove Farm near Didcot, Berkshire. Two crew men were killed, Sqd Ldr McGugan and F/O England, they are buried in Brookwood Military cemetery.
The crew were:
- S/L F.R.McGugan RCAF
- Sgt R.F.Ellis RAF
- F/O T.L.Steele RCAF
- F/O G.A.England RCAF
- WO2 N.C.Mason RCAF
- Sgt J.W.Eyre RAF
- Sgt L.Lapond RCAF
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