WHEELER, George Howard
NAME WHEELER George Howard
RANK Flying Officer / Air Observer 10045 RAF Bomber Command - Group 5
SQUADRON RAF No. 207 Squadron
“always prepared”
RAF Langar Airfield in Nottinghamshire
Squadron Markings EM W Born May 22, 1918 - Wingham - Township of Turnberry / East Wawanosh - County of Huron Residence Meaford - Ontario Died February 25, 1943 24 years 9 months
Cemetery Durnbach War Cemetery - Durnbach – Miesbach - Bavaria - Germany
I C 6-9
Parents Mr. Thomas Wheeler - Wingham
George was born in Wingham on May 22, 1918. Growing up he had scarlet fever and the measles. His hobbies were hunting and photography.. He received his public school education at SS No. 9 Turnberry from 1924-30 and his high school education at the Wingham High School from 1930-35. After that he took an accounting course from Spotton's Business College from 1935-36. He enjoyed swimming, softball and skating. He would have attended St Paul's Trinity Anglican Church. He was a member of the Militia and attached to the 99th Field Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery from July 1940-March 1941 and he was a Gunner Specialist. Prior to his enlistment he was employed by Ross Londry who had the General Motors dealership in Meaford and he was the accountant there.
Canada
George arrived in London on September 12, 1940 to attest into the Royal Canadian Air Force. On March 3, 1941 he arrived at the London Recruitment Centre and received the rank of Aircraftsman 2. At this time he was 5' 6" and weighed at 173 pounds. His complexion was medium with blue eyes and dark brown hair. Then he was assigned to No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto - Ontario on April 23. In the middle of May his first posting was to No. 31 Bombing and Gunnery School in Picton - Ontario. On the first day of summer June 21 he was posted to No. 3 Initial Training School in Victoriaville - Quebec. While here he had a 74% average and placed in 24 in a class of 29. On August 30 he earned the rank of Leading Aircraftsman. On August 31 he was posted to No. 9 Air Observer School in St Jean sur Richelieu in Quebec. Here his average was 82% and placed 11 in a class of 40. Then it was on to No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery School on November 23 where his average was 80% and placed 3 in a class of 37. While here he earned his Air Observer Badge. He earned the rank of Sergeant while posted here. Very early in 1942 on January 4 he went to No. 2 Air Navigation School at Pennfield Ridge - New Brunswick and here he placed 6 in a class of 69 and had a 82% average. Then it was a short trip to No. 1 "Y" Depot in Halifax to prepare for duty overseas. While in Halifax he earned the rank of Pilot Officer.
Overseas
Pilot Officer Wheeler embarked from Canada for overseas duty on March 1 and he disembarked in the United Kingdom on March 9 and he immediately reported to RAF No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre where he remained until April 24 when he was posted to to RAF No. 2 Advanced Flying Unit for Observers based at RAF Millom - Cumbria. He remained here until it was time to move on to No. 14 Operational Training Unit on May 19 which was based at RAT Cottesmore - Rutland. Then on August 13 he was posted to RAF No 97 Conversion Flight and the following day he was attached to RAF 207 Conversion Unit. On September 20 he was posted the RAF No. 207 Squadron with Coastal Command. On October 1 he received the rank of Flying Officer.
In the Field
The mission this evening was to Nuremburg about 600 air miles distant. It was the objective because there was a large armament industry there, the MAN factory built the diesel engines for the u boats along with components for the Panther tanks and there was a large rail marshalling yard there. The weather conditions were very
poor and the Pathfinders were late with their markings. A total of 337 aircraft took part in this mission with 9 aircraft not returning to their bases.
In the evening hours of February 25th, Flying Officer Wheeler who was the Navigator and Observer and his crew lifted off the tarmac at 19:50 hours in Lancaster Mk I ED 356 EM-W. He and his crew were shot down over Mannheim at an altitude of 13,100 feet by anti-aircraft fire which was extremely light resulting in the aircraft crashing into a sandpit just southwest of Moudoch and just southwest of Ludwigshafen in Germany at 10:47 pm. Lancaster ED 356 was carrying 1 - 4,000 bomb; 10 - Small Bomb Containers which held 12 bombs each weighing 4 pounds and 90 - 4 pound bombs for a bombload of 5,000 pounds. This happened on the leg to the objective This is approximately 470 air miles from RAF Langar to the area of Mannheim in Germany where the aircraft crashed.
The bomber stream was heavy that night and the German anti-aircraft was very active. The night itself was
dark and foggy.
Lancaster ED 356 was seen to be hit and begin to fall as a burning ball and then crashing into the sandpit
which at the time had a very large puddle in it. Upon impact there were 3 loud explosions suggesting the
bomb load was still on board. The aircraft was burning fiercely and all told some 500 pieces of the aircraft were found.
Lancaster ED 356 had only 83 flying hours logged on it.
During the month of April 1945 Mr. Thomas Wheeler received the Memorial Cross and then in March of 1946 he received the medals awarded to George and these were the 1939-45 Star, the Aircrew Europe Star, the Defence and War Medals plus the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp.
