George Cecil Crew

His career was unusual as he was originally commissioned in the Royal Engineers. He served with the Royal Engineer Tunnelling Companies, who were later involved in the construction of Operational Bases. It may be that he was brought in to advise on the construction of the first underground hideouts. It may also mean that he had studied mining engineering at Durham, or worked in mining after this, as the officers in the tunnelling units tended to have experience in this field.

On 19 Aug 1942 resigned his commission and on 20 Aug 1942 transferred to the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a Pilot Officer (128066). On 25 Dec 1942 he was promoted to War Substantive Flying Officer.

He served initially with 90 Squadron. In May 1943, on a mission to Rostock in Germany, his bomber was hit on the outward journey. Although some instruments were shot away by German Flak, and other parts of the plane had been damaged, he continued another 150 miles to drop his bomb load. He then successfully flew the plane back to land at his home base. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this action.

On 24 Jan 1944, now with 7 Squadron, he took off in Lancaster bomber JB313 from Oakington Airfield in Cambridgeshire. Sometime after midnight, the bomber was shot down and crashed near Schophoven in Germany. Pilot Officer Crew and the remainder of the men on board were all killed and are buried at Rheinberg War Cemetery.