Home guard hero honoured 80 years on.

On the morning of the 23 September 2023, more than thirty members of George's Family gathered along with members of Kedington Branch of the Royal British Legion and Rector, Fr Chris Giles, to unveil and dedicate a headstone for George. When George died in 1943, his family could not afford a headstone. As he was off duty when he was killed, he was not honoured with a war grave. As the last act of the Kedington Air Memorial Group, lead by Kevin Betts, a headstone was installed in the churchyard, near the place where George is buried. 

In his tribute to George, Kevin Betts said "George understood that there could be a risk to his life when he volunteered but he wanted to do the right thing, to do his duty. I think it was George’s sense of duty that led him to the crash of flight N6008 on that winter morning. He put the lives of others before himself as he ran to assist the crew of the bomber. He surely would have known there was a risk of fire or explosion as he made his way to the wreckage, but he was not deterred.

George was not recommended for an award for his actions on that day, but if he had been, his citation would have included the line “without regard for his own safety”. George’s name is inscribed now on the Kedington Air Memorial. His name is with the names of the crew that he so wanted to reach. With that inscription and this headstone, George now has a place and the recognition he rightly deserves.”

We will remember him.