| Full Name |
George Cecil Unwin |
|
| DOB |
1913 |
| Nationality |
British |
| Rank |
Wing Commander |
| |
Year |
Postings |
Rank |
1929 |
Joined Royal Air Force |
Apprentice Clerk |
1936 |
Posted to 19 Squadron in August |
Sergeant PiIot |
1940 |
Joined 2 CFS |
- |
1941 |
Posted to 16 EFTS on 23rd February |
- |
1942 |
Posted to 2 FIS on 3rd March |
Instructor |
1943 |
Posted to 12 (P) AFU on 19th October |
- |
1944 |
Joined 613 Squadron on 5th April |
- |
1944 |
Posted to CGS, Catfoss, on 30th October |
- |
1945 |
Posted to CGS, Leconfield, on 18th November |
- |
19-- |
Joined 84 Squadron |
- |
1961 |
Retired from RAF on 18th January |
- |
|
W/Cmdr G. C. Unwin was born in 1913, and brought up in South Yorkshire, where his father was a miner. Whilst he won a scholarship to Wath Grammar School, aged sixteen, there was no money for him to take up a place. The only work on offer was down the pit. A month before he was due to leave, the headmaster showed him an RAF recruiting pamphlet, and he decided to join up.
He joined the RAF at Ruislip in 1929 as an apprentice clerk.
In 1931, George was posted to HQ Fighting Area where he volunteered for pilot training. In 1935 he began his initial training course at Woodley and after completion of his training was posted as a Sergeant Pilot to 19 Squadron at RAF Duxford in August 1936.
In 1938, when 19 Squadron's Gauntlets were replaced with Spitfires, George was selected as one of the first pilots to put the aircraft through a 500-hour series of tests.
19 Squadron were moved to RAF Hornchurch in 1940 to cover the Dunkirk Evacuations. The Squadron returned to Duxford for the Battle of Britain; George was credited with 14 victories during the Evacuation of Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain.
He was awarded the DFM (01/10/40) and Bar to the DFM (6/12/40), and his Spitfire was decorated with the Popeye spinach-eating motif and the words 'Mein Punch'.
On 29th December, George went to 2 CFS, Cranwell for an instructor's course followed by a posting to 16 EFTS, Derby on 23rd February, 1941.
He was commissioned from Warrant Officer in July 1941 and moved to 2 FIS, Montrose on 3rd March, 1942. He instructed there until 19th October, 1943, when he was posted to 12 (P) AFU, Grantham to convert to Mosquitos.
After a spell at 60 OTU, High Ercall, George joined 613 Squadron at Lasham on 5th April, 1944. With his tour completed he went to CGS, Catfoss on 30th October, 1944 and moved to CGS, Leconfield on 18th November, 1945.
Post war, George led 84 Squadron in support of the Army against terrorists in Malaya, until he broke his leg and returned to the UK for distinguished service in Malaya he was awarded the DSO (21/3/52).
George Unwin retired from the RAF on 18th January, 1961.
|
| 1940 |
Awarded the DFM on 1st October |
| 1940 |
Awarded Bar to the DFM on 6th December |
| 1952 |
Awarded the DSO on 21st March |
Related Information |
On joining 19 Squadron, George Unwin found that the squadron's competitive streak was compatible with a relaxed approach to duty. "You didn't fly Saturdays, ever. You could take an aeroplane away for a weekend any time you liked. You used to fly away for lunch." |
George Unwin, became a Gunnery Instructor later in his career and found that one of the biggest weaknesses among fighter pilots at the beginning of the war was their inability to properly calculate how far they were from the aircraft they were attacking, often opening fire long before they reached what combat experience would teach was the optimum range of 250 yards. |
|
Of Dunkirk, George was quoted as saying: 'You didn't need a compass to get to Dunkirk. You took off from Hornchurch...and you just flew down the smoke and you were there. Those tanks were still burning weeks afterwards and it really was desolation, absolute desolation. It was a most incredible sight.' |
|
