Date of birth:

October 29th, 1918 (Antigonish/Nova Scotia, Canada)

Date of death:

November 1969 (Orangeville/Ontario, Canada)

Service number:

C1075

Nationality:

Canadian (1931-present, Constitutional Monarchy)

George Hill intended to study medicine but his parents lacked the money. In September 1939 he decided to join the Royal Canadian Air Force, became a fighter pilot and earned his wings in March 1940.
After having served as an instructor for some time, he was transferred to Europe in 1942. His first operational sortie was over the beaches of Dieppe during Operation Jubilee where he scored his first victory.
Soon afterwards he was transferred to Tunisia and posted to 111 Treble One Squadron. Following a posting on Malta he was stationed in England and flew in Johnnie Johnson’s squadron. Due to signs of battle fatigue he was granted leave which he spent in his hometown Pictou in Canada.
Back in England, his Spitfire got damaged during a sortie in April 1944 when his long range fuel tank hit the propellor while being jettisoned. Hill performed an emergency landing in France, hid in the forests and made contact with the Resistance.
May 1944 he had just boarded a train in Paris which was to take him to the south of France in order to escape from there when Gestapo agents boarded the carriage, went straight at him and arrested him. The Germans, suspecting him, because of his rank of knowledge of an imminnent invasion, subjected him to interrogations, solitary confinement and a diet of one cup of watery soup a day for months on end.
Following the liberation of the camp, Hill returned to Canada, took up the study of medicine and worked as a physician for many years.
In 1969 he lost his life in a car crash.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Unit:

No. 111 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

May 21st, 1943

Citation:
"Flight Lieutenant Hill is a skilful leader whose ability has been well in evidence during recent operations. He has participated in many sorties and has destroyed four enemy aircraft."

AFRO 1247/43 dated 2 July 1943.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Squadron Leader

Unit:

No. 111 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

June 11th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Squadron Leader

Unit:

No. 111 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

September 22nd, 1943

• Photo 1: Tom MacNeill
• - SHORES, CH. & WILLIAMS, C., Aces High, Grub Street, London, 1994.
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36022 published on the 18 May 1943
  - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36036 published on the 28 May 1943
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36187 published on the 24 September 1943
  - Vancouver Island Aircrew Association