GEORGE JOHN BURCH
George Burch was a Flying Officer with 582 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Service No :159512
He was the husband of Margaret May Burch (nee Tindale) of Tilbury who worked in the Bata Hairdressing Department.
Prior to joining the Forces he had worked in the Leather Factory for three years, leaving in July 1941.
He received rapid promotion, he enlisted as an Air Gunner and soon received a Commission, making many operational flights over enemy territory. He was about to start another mission when the accident which killed him happened.
George died on Saturday 23rd September 1944, aged 20 in an Air crash. He was buried with R.A.F. honours at Tilbury on 30th September 1944.
The aircraft was engaged in a fighter affiliation exercise, in which the evasive action becomes progressively more violent. The Pilot called to the fighter on the R/T and stated that he was about to turn into the reciprocal course. The aircraft started a steep turn to starboard at 8000 feet, which turned into a diving turn from which the aircraft only levelled out laterally at about 2000 feet, but it failed to pull out of the dive. It was however still diving and went straight into the ground, blowing up on impact. No chutes were seen to leave the aircraft. It was considered that the Pilot got into a high speed dive and did not allow himself sufficient room to pull out of the dive. (details from Bomber Command losses data base)
Crashed: east of North Weald airfield.
Bata Record
6.10.44
