Woollatt, George Randall

Killed in Action 1943-02-08

Birth Date: 1921-March-31

Born:

Son of Robert S. Woollatt and Grace R. Woollatt, of Toronto; husband of Eileen Mary Woollatt, of Dartmouth; Nova Scotia.

Home: Toronto, Ontario

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

126 (F) Sqn- Squadron

Base

Rank

Warrant Officer 1st Class

Position

Warrant Officer 1st Class

Service Numbers

R/72124

Home
Google MapToronto, Ontario
First Burial
Google MapMount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario
126 Canadian Squadron, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Warrant Officer Woollen was flying Hurricane aircraft BW 854 in a formation and was killed when he made a crash landing at Pine Lake, Nova Scotia.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

This incident involved multiple aircraft:

  1. Sea Hurricane Serial: BW854

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

Sea Hurricane BW854

Warrant Officer 1st Class Woollatt, George Randall (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1943-February-08
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario, 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 BW854

Sea Hurricane BW854

BVRAF RoundelX
Served with No. 126 (F) Squadron at RCAF Station Dartmouth, NS in 1942. Coded "BV*X". With this unit when destroyed in Category A forced landing near Pine Lake, NS, after engine failure during formation practice, on 8 February 1943.

1941-12-30 Taken on Strength No. 118 (F) Squadron 2019-08-20
1943-February-08 Accident: 126 Squadron Loc: Musquodoboit Harbor Nova Scotia Names: Woollatt
1943-05-05 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20