George Beurling

George Frederick Beurling (December 6, 1921 - May 20, 1948) was the most successful Canadian fighter pilot of World War II.

Born in Verdun, Quebec, he first took the controls of an aircraft in 1933 and was flying solo by 1938. He left school to work for an air freight company out of Gravenhurst, Ontario and soon gained a commercial license. He was intending to go to China but was imprisoned for a few months for illegally crossing the border into the USA to try and join the Flying Tigers.

With the outbreak of war he tried to join the RCAF but his lack of academic qualifications led to his rejection. He tried to join the Finnish airforce but was thwarted when he could not get his parents' permission. Instead he joined a convoy sailing across the Atlantic and on landing in Glasgow tried to enlist with the RAF. He had forgotten his birth certificate and had to return to Canada to get it, but after surviving the return trip he was accepted into the RAF.

Beurling demonstrated considerable skill in training but turned down a commission and was posted as a NCO, a Sergeant Pilot, to 403 Squadron and in 1942 to 41 Squadron where he had his first certain combat success. Reprimanded for a lack of discipline following a second victory he volunteered for a posting to Malta and 249 Squadron.

On July 6 he had three confirmed victories, raising his total to five, and making him an official ace. Through relentless concentration he developed a marked skill at deflection shooting and together with his high awareness was soon recognized as a excellent shot. Like many successful Spitfire pilots, he developed the habit of only engaging enemy aircraft at 250 yards or less - a range at which many other pilots would be breaking away. His nickname on Malta was 'Screwball'. He tended to be a loner on the ground and in the air - angering his commanders with his disdain for team work.

On July 11 he shot down the recognized Italian ace over Malta, Furio Niclot, and also his wingman and two German fighters, and for this day's work he was awarded the DFM - having reached eight victories. At the end of July he was promoted to Pilot Officer and won a bar to his DFM with 17 confirmed kills. The enervation of daily combat and the effects of the poor rations and dysentery were telling and he was bed ridden for much of August and September, gaining only 1½ victories in August and being shot down and crashing, uninjured, in a field.

In September he had another of his successful days, downing three German fighters, a feat he repeated in October, he was also awarded the DFC. On his last flight over Malta he led a flight of eight Spitfire Vs against over sixty German aircraft, shooting down a bomber and a fighter, but was wounded twice. While engaging a third aircraft his Spitfire was badly damaged and spun down out of control, Beurling only just managing to bail-out. He was rescued from the sea and hospitalised before receiving a DSO and being sent back to Britain. His transport aircraft crashed into the sea off Gibraltar and only Beurling and two others survived.

Back in England he was then sent to Canada to join a Victory Loan Drive, selling War bonds, and received a parade in Verdun and also met the Prime Minister. He did not enjoy it. The leg wound he had taken over Malta combined with his poor general health to return him to hospital for several weeks. He completed his promotional work in mid-1943 and also met his future wife Diana Whittall in Vancouver.

Returning to England he was posted as a gunnery instructor at 61 OTU and in September 1943 he transferred to the RCAF and was posted to an operational squadron, 403 at Kenley flying the new Spitfire IX. Disciplinary problems annoyed his commander but he was still promoted to Flight Lieutenant; however, eventually his stunting led to his Wing Commander threatening him with a Court Martial, and Beurling was transferred to 126 Wing HQ and then to 412 Squadron.

At 412 he again came into conflict with his commander for stunting and his lack of team-work, and he was eventually grounded. He returned to Canada in April 1944 and was given an honourable discharge in October. Despite an attempt to join the USAAF, his war-time flying was over with 32 confirmed kills, a DSO, a DFC, and a DFM and bar.

His marriage ended in 1944 and in 1948 he was invited to fly P-51s for the Israeli airforce. En route his Norseman transport aircraft crashed while landing at Urbe Airport in Rome, Italy and Beurling was killed. He was buried in Rome but later reinterred at Mount Carmel.

An account of his time in Malta was written by him and Leslie Roberts, Malta Spitfire, but it was not published until after his death.

External links

• "Malta Spitfire" (http://www.greenhillbooks.com/booksheets/malta_spitfire.html)