Fawcett, George Humphreys

Killed in Flying Accident 1942-11-10

Birth Date: 1919-July-08

Born: Upper Sackville, New Brunswick

Son of William W. Fawcett and Eleanor M. Fawcett, of Upper Sackville, New Brunswick.

Home: Upper Sackville, New Brunswick

Enlistment: Toronto, Ontario

Enlistment Date: 1941-07-04

Service

RCAF

Unit

126 (F) Sqn- Squadron

Base

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Sergeant

Service Numbers

R/90963

Home
Google MapUpper Sackville, New Brunswick
First Burial
Google MapUpper Sackville Cemeterce, Upper Sackville, New Brunswick
126 Flying Lancers Squadron. Hurricane aircraft BW 876 reached 300 feet after take-off when blue and white smoke came from the aircraft. The Hurricane executed a sliding half turn to the left and entered the water in McDonald Lake off the east end of the runway at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Sea Hurricane Serial: BW876

All the above aircraft in the above list are referenced in this report.

Findagrave.com

Sea Hurricane BW876

Sergeant Fawcett, George Humphreys (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1942-November-10
Upper Sackville Cemeterce, Upper Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada

Hawker Sea Hurricane

Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4982739)
Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk. XIIA (Serial No. BW850), coded BV-T, No. 126 (Fighter) Squadron, RCAF, patrolling from its base at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, 9 Aug 1942. This Hurricane has been converted to the Mk. XIIA version by Canadian Car and Foundry (CCF). This aircraft retains its eight-gun wing and the tail hook.
60f9983cb349435ca5985742_Hawker-Hurricane--RCAF-No--126-Sqn--BV-code---9-Aug-1942--MIKAN-No--4982739.jpg image not found

While the Sea Hurricane never served in the Royal Canadian Navy, it was, ironically, operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force.  In late 1941, the RCAF found itself without any frontline fighters, having sent its earlier Hawker Hurricanes off to the UK along with 1 (Fighter) Squadron, RCAF, and was having a hard time procuring additional fighters to meet its needs.

For reasons that are still slightly unclear, the RCAF received 50 Sea Hurricanes in 1942.  It is assumed that these aircraft, built in Thunder Bay, Ontario by Canadian Car and Foundry, were to be used as part of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) Merchant Ship Fighting Unit (MSFU) based in Canada, but were diverted to the RCAF.  These Sea Hurricanes were basically a Hurricane Mk. I with a tail-hook, catapult spools, a short blunt de Havilland spinner, and an eight gun wing.  Harold A Skaarup Web Page

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Wikipedia Wikipedia Hawker Hurricane variants

Sea Hurricane BW876

Sea Hurricane BW876

Stored at Dartmouth, as reserve aircraft for the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit of the RAF. With No. 126 (F) Squadron when it suffered a Category C crash at Dartmouth airport at 11:50 on 6 October 1942.

1942-01-22 Taken on Strength No. 118 (F) Squadron 2019-08-20
1942-October-06 Accident: 126 Squadron Loc: Dartmouth Aerodrome Names: Hamm
1942-November-10 Accident: 126 Squadron Loc: Mcdonald Lake Names: Fawcett
1943-03-16 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20