Warrant Officer II R/122398 George Norman Matthews (Nav.) RCAF was born at Ashford, Kent the 6th of November, 1922, one of two children, the son of Norman Henry Matthews (1889 to 1938) and Margaret Patterson Irving (1892 to 1978). 

On the 18th of September, 1930, the family emigrated to Canada, sailing from Liverpool on the SS Newfoundland and arriving at Halifax on the 29th of the month. The occupation of Norman is given as farming.

The family took up residence at Cobble Hill, British Columbia and from 1930 to 1937 George was educated at Mill Bay Public (Primary) School and from 1937 to 1941 at Cable Hill High School.

In October 1940 he joined the Cadet Corps and was appointed Corporal at which time he was at school and also working as a farmhand.

George enlisted into the RCAF on the 14th of April 1941. The report upon his interview, which was written on the 18th is glowing. It notes that George, in appearance was “healthy, rugged, tall, refined and clean. He was very smart and intelligent” and his personality was “confident, mature, pleasant and belligerent”. In summary, the report stated that “This is a fine type of boy, well mannered and very polite. Is intelligent, clean and pleasant to talk to. Very keen to be aircrew. Recommended”.

On the 19th of August, at Vancouver took his attestation interview and following training, came to the UK and was posted to 487(RNZAF) Squadron at Methwold, Norfolk, on the 25th of May 1943. At this time, the squadron was flying the Lockheed Ventura light bomber but in in June was transferred to the the control of the 2nd Tactical Air Force and in August converted to the Mosquito VI for low level intruder sorties, flying them from Sculthorpe, Norfolk and then from Hunsdon, Hertfordshire.

On the 30th of January, 1944 at 11.00, he took off in Mosquito HX916, EG-A flown by F/Sgt NZ42406 John Thomas William Hyndman (RNZAF) .In company with five other aircraft for an attack on a V-1 site in Northern France, the formation was flying into fog, this aircraft struck the ground at Bilsham Corner, Bilsham, Sussex.

Engines, propellers, bombs and other wreckage were hurled along the line of crash, hitting a house and killing two of the occupants - George Rogers, aged 82, and Mary Ifould, aged 9 - both were buried in the churchyard of St Mary, Yapton. W/O Matthews and F/Sgt Hyndman were killed, both being buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery on the 4th of February.

The incident received a brief mention in the Bognor Regis Observer for the 5th of February under the headline “BILSHAM PLANE CRASH FOUR KILLED IN SUNDAY TRAGEDY” and goes on to report that

“On Sunday last a Mosquito bomber crashed at Bilsham, near Littlehampton, killing the crew of two. The engines tore away from the machine and were hurled into nearby houses, killing a little girl and an old man who happened to be in the garden. One bomb crashed into a house but did not explode. Considerable damage was caused to one house by fire. In attendance were the Aldingbourne Rescue Service and the Bognor Regis N.F.S.”