George Wood, Whirlwind pilot
George Wood died 21 January, just short of his 98th birthday. For the past few years he had been living in a RAF home in Surrey.
He came to Whirlwinds early in 1943 after being issued with tropical kit and embarked for North Africa. The ship developed engine trouble and so he was reassigned to 263 Squadron. He flew strikes against shipping and coastal targets off Brittany and the Channel Islands before being shot down in an attack on Morlaix-Ploujean on 23 September 1943. He successfully evaded, was taken in by the Resistance. he nad eight others returned to England aboard a fishing boat "Requin" on 30 October.
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