RAF pilot from Saltdean celebrating 100th birthday tomorrow

Flight Lieutenant George Dunn, from Saltdean, will celebrate his special day tomorrow surrounded by family.

George, who was born in Whitstable, Kent, in 1922, left school before joining Pickfords Removals company.

He then served in the Home Guard, the country’s armed citizen militia, as the Battle of Britain raged on between July and October 1940.

But as soon as he was old enough, George applied for the Royal Air Force and signed up in June 1941.

George Dunn at De Havilland Museum in North London in September 2020 (Image: Newsquest)

Having completed his basic training, he contracted appendicitis and was told he couldn't leave the country.

When his class was sent to Canada to continue their training, George ignored the medical advice and went with them.

Following further training in Britain and building a crew, George was posted to 76 Squadron at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in York.

His first two operational flights were with Ten Squadron. These two flights were with an experienced crew to allow him to gain experience over a target. 

The Battle of Britain memorial flight. Photo: Tom Freeman - Airbourne Thursday

George and his crew subsequently flew 30 operational attacks, notably the infamous Peenemunde raid, and during this tour George was commissioned and awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross while still only 20 years old.

At the end of his first tour George moved on to become an instructor teaching new pilots the skills he had learned on operations.

Returning to operations himself, George converted to the De Havilland Mosquito flying with 608 Squadron as part of the Light Night Striking Force.

George had 14 operational flights before the Second World War ended but his experience was to be used as a meteorological pilot with 1409 Flight, which meant he was trained to fly in poor weather conditions.

Lancaster Bomber at Eastbourne Airbourne this year for Battle of Britain memorial flight. Picture from Ellis Skelton

After a short time, George was posted overseas to continue 'Met' flying but he was sent to Egypt to test fly refurbished single engine fighters, a role he was not trained for.

During this time George ferried a Spitfire to the re-forming Greek Air Force in 1947.

Just over 70 years later, he sat in the aircraft again at the Heritage Hangar at Biggin Hill in Kent where the plane was being rebuilt. George was at Biggin Hill in January 2020 to see the aircraft's test flight.

Having left the RAF, George returned to work for Pickford's and continued to do so until his retirement at 60.

Although he worked in other jobs, George devoted his spare time to fund raising for the RAF Benevolent Fund and the RAF Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park.