George Arthur Henry Rathbone
George was educated at Yorke Street School in Mansfield Woodhouse. After school he worked for 8 years for Wm Blackwell, as a joiner and undertaker. On the 11th October 1937 he joined the Metropolitan Police, as a police constable, warrant No 126429 and was based in "F" division at Chiswick Police Station. He volunteered to join the RAF in October 1941,
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
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Son of Harry and Beatrice Mary Raythbone of 60 Morven Avenue, Mansfield Woodhouse.
George was baptised on 29th October 1913 at St Edmund's Church. George was the eldest son of 5 boys, George 1913, Harry 1915, Arthur 1917, Cyril 1919 Kenneth 1922 and a sister Florence born in 1912.
George married Elsie Williams(may have been Morris) in 1942 in Hammersmith.
Whilst training to become a navigator George was killed in a crash along side Flt Sgt Dennis Norton.
Flying a Boston IIIa serial No BZ298 from Bicester they dived into the ground at Gubbinshill Farm near Finmore Oxfordshire.
Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser: 6/1/1944: Mansfield Woodhouse Airman's Sad Death.
Sgt G Rathbone (30) son of Mr & Mrs H Rathbone 60 Morven Ave Mansfield Woodhouse of RAF Vol Res was killed in a flying accident on 29th November 1943 somewhere in England. He was well known in Mansfield and Mansfield Woodhouse where he attended Yorke St school. On leaving school he was employed by Wm Blackwell of Mansfield Woodhouse as a joiner and undertaker for 8 years. He joined the Metropolitan Police Force in which he served for 6 years in "F" Division in Chiswick. In October 1941 he volunteered for the RAF and went overseas to South Africa. After his return he spent 13 weeks in hospital only returning in September to continue his training which duty he was on when he crashed to his death. He was buried at Mortlake Cemetery on 6th December. The bearers were members of the Police Force from the Division in which he served.
He married in April 1942. Although Mansfield Woodhouse was his native place at the time of his death his home was in Shepherd's Bush, London
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