George Hector Reid Phillips MiD Rank: Squadron Leader Status: Survived 1942-10-01

ABOUT
CASPIR Data Archive Mission & Data Sources Significant Canadian Historians Our Team RCAF Assistance CASPIR Volunteering
CASPIR contains documents, images and history of Canada's military aviation. The personnel and aircraft data has been compiled using data provided by trusted Canadian military aviation historians and original source documents. Where possible source documents are linked.
RESEARCH
CASPIR Resources
RCAF Accident Cards (1939-1945)JA Griffin Documents 1968 and 2005 Obtaining a World War II Service File
External Resources
RCAF.info: Research Resources RCAF.info: Finding Your Family Records
Griffin Library, 17 Wing Winnipeg
John Griffin was a significant historian, documenting Canada's Military aircraft
AIRCRAFT
Military Aircraft Associated with Canadians Choose a Specific Aircraft Serial
Lancaster FM213
CWHM flies one of the two airworthy Lancasters in the world. FM213 is usually marked as KB726 honouring Andrew Mynarski, VC.
PERSONNEL
Name or Home Town Search Unit (Squadron) Search Aircraft Type or Serial Search Browse by Letter This Day in History Choose a Day in History
Prisoner of War Evaded Capture Interned in a Neutral Country Catastrophic Losses (Ships Hotels Aircraft)Choose Specific Military Cemeteries (WW1 WW2 and Beyond)
Andrew Mynarski, VC
We Shall Remember Them.
HISTORY
✅ Start Here ✅ Glossary ✅ Canada and World War II ✅ Combatants & First Airmen Casualties ✅ Air Force Operations ✅ Battle of Britain ✅ Women in War ✅ War Artists
"A" Able flying through the Eiffel Tower? (although this event likely happened, this photograph is likely fake.) It is signed by the late Bill Bryant RAF who was the navigator of that aircraft piloted by Bob Boorman RCAF. The caption reads "This Stars Stripes photograph was taken on 14 September 1944 and shows a Mosquito Mk XIII of 409 Squadron RCAF. Pilot - W/O Bob Boorman RCAF Navigator F/S Bill Bryant RAF Flying through the Eiffel Tower."
CONTACT
Click here for Information Requests & Data Submissions
NEW & INTERESTING
Exceptionally Interesting Stories and Aircraft What is new in CASPIR?

Phillips, George Hector Reid MiD (Squadron Leader)

Survived 1942-October-01

Birth Date: unkown date (age 49)

Born: Amaranth, Dufferin County, Ontario, Canada

Son of William Alfred Phillips and Mary Jane (nee Reid) Phillips

Husband of Lorna Maria Victoria (nee Cruikshank) Phillips, married June 26,1922

Home: Orangeville, Ontario

Decorations: MiD

Service
RCAF

Unit
45 Group (RAF)

Base
Natal, Brazil

Rank

Squadron Leader

Marshal
Air Chief Marshal	A/C/M
Air Marshal	A/M
Air Vice Marshal	A/V/M
Air Commodore	A/C
Group Captain	G/C
Wing Commander	W/C
Squadron Leader	S/L
Flight Lieutenant	F/L
Flying Officer	F/O
Pilot Officer	P/O
Warrant Officer 1st Class	WO1
Warrant Officer 2nd Class	WO2
Flight Sergeant	FS
Sergeant	SGT
Corporal	CPL
Senior Aircraftman	SAC
Leading Aircraftman	LAC
Aircraftman 1st Class	AC1
Aircraftman 2nd Class	AC2

Position
Pilot

Service Numbers

Hudson Mk. VI FK499

Aircraft Ferrying 1942-October-01 to 1942-October-01

(Ferry) Ferry Command (RAF) Natal, Brazil

RAF Ferry Command Hudson aircraft FK 499 having originally departed from West Palm Beach, Florida, USA, made its way south, making several stops along the way before reaching Natal, Brazil. From here the crew flew out over the Atlantic Ocean. During the flight, fuel pump problems arose, which were repaired upon reaching Ascension Island. The crew then elected to continue their flight to Africa rather than wait until the next morning. Nightfall hampered their navigation and after a severe electrical storm knocked out the radio, they made a forced landing at Cotonou, Dahomey, West Africa, an area then under the control of the Vichy French Government. The crew survived the landing but George Phillips, William Campbell and Gordon Seward become interned prisoners until after the Allied landings in North Africa. They were returned to West Palm Beach Florida, USA 1943-01-20 and continued to work for Ferry Command. The impounded Hudson FK 499 was also saved, repaired and went on to serve with the RAF

Ocean Bridge, The History of RAF Ferry Command by Carl A Christie pages 166-8

General [Royal Air Force Serial and Image Database]...

General Post on RAF Commands by Col Bruggy, 2009-03-04

George HR Phillips had joined the 2nd Canadian Pioneer Battalion in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) in the First World War and later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. After the war he became a bush pilot for the Ontario Provincial Air Service (OPAS). He won the McKee Trophy in 1931 for his contributions to Canadian aviation

Over-age at 47 he applied and was accepted into the RCAF in 1940 and assigned to training duties but two years later volunteered and was accepted into RAF Ferry Command where he served for the rest of the Second World War. After the war he became the Superintendent of Algonquin Park until retiring in 1959

George Hector Reid Phillips was inducted as a Member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in 1974 at a ceremony held in Edmonton, Alberta

The Firebirds, How bush flying won it's wings by Bruce West pages 75-81,141,154,173-5,177,198-201,223,238-9

General in%201915%20at%20Timmins%2C%20Ontario., George Hector Reid Phillips - Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame

Find-A-Grave.com Finadagrave.com

Home

Orangeville, Ontario

Hudson FK499

Male Head

Flying Officer Campbell, William G (RCAF)
Navigator
Survived
1942-October-01
cemetery unknown

Squadron Leader Phillips, George Hector Reid (RCAF)
Pilot
Survived
1942-October-01
cemetery unknown

Male Head

Flight Lieutenant Seward, Gordon Anzac (RAAF)
Wireless Operator
Survived
1942-October-01
cemetery unknown

Lockheed Hudson A-28 A-29 AT-18

Lockheed Hudson
Source National Air Force Museum of Canada.

The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force (RAF) shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter. The Hudson served throughout the war, mainly with Coastal Command, but also in transport and training roles, as well as delivering agents into occupied France. They were also used extensively with the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) anti-submarine squadrons. National Air Force Museum of Canada.

YouTube Hudson