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aircraft in which he owned a share. For many years he was an honorary member of the RAF Catterick
Officers' Mess, where his invariably pleasant and unassuming manner seldom gave the younger serving members any inkling of his previous life. He was a keen golfer, and was elected captain of his local
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and probably destroyed a Bf 109, and the following day two more Bf 109's. He claimed another Bf 109 on 9 September and further successes quickly followed bringing his tally to twelve destroyed (one German bomber, 11 fighters), five probably destroyed, and five damaged, including a
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as a senior controller and liaison officer with an
American Fighter Group equipped with Spitfires. With only a limited flying category he was permitted to fly on convoy patrols; but was not allowed to take part in combat operations.
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Pilot
Officer Bennions has led his section with great distinction. He has destroyed seven enemy aircraft and possibly several others. His determination and coolness have had a splendid influence on his squadron as a
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wounds. For the second time he became a patient of McIndoe at East
Grinstead. For the rest of the war, Bennions was a senior fighter controller at various units in the North of England.
323:. On the following day, after shooting down his second Bf 109, his Spitfire was damaged and he had to crash land in Kent. On 15 August 1940 while on a temporary rest break at
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and qualified three years later as an engine fitter. In 1935 Bennions married Avis Brown who died in 2000 and they had three daughters. Their son died in infancy.
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He died on 30 January 2004 and was buried at St Anne’s Church in
Catterick. The pallbearers at his funeral were flight crew from the nearby RAF station at
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Bennions was severely wounded on 1 October 1940. That morning
Bennions was about to go on leave but was scrambled (in Spitfire I X4559) to intercept
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Bennions left the RAF in 1946, and took a teacher training course, returning to teach woodwork, metalwork and practical drawing at
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for the treatment for severe burns. As one of "Archie's Guinea Pigs", Bennions became a founder member of the
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Following remarkable recovery from his injuries, Bennions became a fighter controller and was promoted to
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244:(RAF) during the Second World War. He was credited with having shot down at least twelve aircraft.
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and damaged another. The squadron returned to
Hornchurch and on 5 September Bennions shot down a
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In
October 1943, Bennions commanded a Ground control interception unit that was sent ashore at
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force of 120 bombers and 21 Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighters along the
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fighter. The squadron returned to
England later that year to be re-equipped with the
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Squadron Leader George Bennions medals and flight jacket – Science Museum
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352:. On 23 September 1940 he is credited by one source for shooting down
443:. In January 1943 he was mentioned in dispatches. He later served in
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371:. He shot down one of the raiders before a shell exploded in his
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where he lived for the rest of his life. Bennions was a skilled
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Squadron Leader George Bennions wartime photo – Science Museum
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Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
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before losing consciousness. He was found in a field near
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Audio recording of a 1989 interview with George Bennions
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Teacher (Woodwork, Metalwork & practical drawing)
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1488:List of British and Commonwealth World War II aces
303:. Bennions received his commission in April 1940.
579:The Battle of Britain: An Epic Conflict Revisited
495:. A thoroughfare in Catterick is named for him.
488:club before being made an honorary life member.
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252:George Bennions was born on 15 March 1913 in
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601:Ben Bennions DFC: Battle of Britain Fighter
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627:Obituary – Squadron Leader 'Ben' Bennions
521:"The Airmen's Stories - P/O G H Bennions"
410:The day of his wounding, an award of the
68:Learn how and when to remove this message
31:This article includes a list of general
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327:, his squadron was in action against a
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1590:Royal Air Force pilots of World War II
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232:(15 March 1913 – 30 January 2004),
37:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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1493:List of World War II flying aces
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563:. 1 October 1940. p. 5790.
291:as a sergeant pilot flying the
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299:, and again in 1940 with the
577:Bergström, Christer (2015).
434:, No. 34958, 1 October 1940
283:and in January 1936 joined
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412:Distinguished Flying Cross
335:. Bennions destroyed one
206:Distinguished Flying Cross
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655:with 10+ aerial victories
544:Bergstörm 2015, p. 227.
485:de Havilland Tiger Moth
385:Queen Victoria Hospital
210:Mentioned in Despatches
52:more precise citations.
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599:Thomas, Nick. (2012).
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279:Bennions trained as a
226:George Herman Bennions
84:George Herman Bennions
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236:"Ben", was a British
157:Years of service
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581:. Casemate: Oxford.
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317:Messerschmitt Bf 109
301:Supermarine Spitfire
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225:
224:
189:World War II
185:Battles/wars
130:(2004-01-30)
64:
55:
36:
15:
1565:2004 deaths
1560:1913 births
1456:Trevor Wade
1440:Archie Boyd
1432:Paul Richey
1344:John Gibson
1336:John Dundas
1216:Robert Boyd
1117:Adrian Boyd
1037:Tony Lovell
997:Stanley Orr
858:Billy Drake
743:James Lacey
735:Frank Carey
727:John Braham
653:flying aces
555:"No. 34958"
477:silversmith
297:Hawker Fury
90:Nickname(s)
58:August 2015
50:introducing
1554:Categories
1272:Ronald Hay
1248:John Ellis
1240:John Villa
1133:Max Aitken
1093:Edgar Kain
957:Mark Brown
893:Roy Dutton
794:Lance Wade
767:Colin Gray
668:Pat Pattle
530:29 October
499:References
333:Hartlepool
274:RAF Halton
248:Early life
238:flying ace
137:Allegiance
104:1913-03-15
33:references
1532:Biography
1416:Ian Allan
1256:Ian Gleed
1173:Alan Owen
775:Eric Lock
504:Footnotes
473:Catterick
377:parachute
356:over the
329:Luftwaffe
234:nicknamed
160:1929–1946
1520:Aviation
973:Al Deere
481:hallmark
467:Post-war
461:shrapnel
429:—
421:, read:
381:Hatfield
145:Service/
1600:The Few
1506:Portals
1077:Bob Doe
703:(28–32)
493:Leeming
457:Corsica
453:Ajaccio
373:cockpit
254:Burslem
111:Burslem
46:improve
607:
585:
426:whole.
339:of I./
202:Awards
147:branch
35:, but
1193:10–14
878:15–19
787:20–24
712:25–29
671:(40+)
341:ZG 76
321:JG 51
281:pilot
1475:(10)
1467:(10)
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762:(27)
754:(27)
746:(28)
738:(28)
730:(29)
722:(29)
695:(30)
687:(31)
679:(34)
605:ISBN
583:ISBN
532:2023
416:The
289:Aden
175:Unit
165:Rank
125:Died
98:Born
661:30+
455:on
319:of
287:in
272:at
230:DFC
93:Ben
1556::
629:–
557:.
523:.
512:^
407:.
387:,
364:.
260:,
256:,
228:,
117:,
113:,
1508::
611:.
589:.
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