Second World War pilot George Dunn has just turned 100. Argus reporter George Carden sat down with him to hear about his remarkable life.
George, from Saltdean, flew more than 40 operational flights, mostly in the Halifax bomber and Mosquito, notably the infamous Peenemunde raid of 1943.
He signed up for the Royal Airforce in June 1941 and trained in Canada and Britain.
When he turned 100 on Wednesday last week he celebrated surrounded by loved ones in Rottingdean - and was even treated to a flypast from Spitfires.
George still has a spring in his step, jumping out of his sofa to show his collection of six medals from his time in the RAF.
He lives independently and cooks all his own meals with support from kind neighbours for more intensive chores such as gardening, as well as a weekly delivery of fresh vegetables from his friend Malcolm Gann, who sat with us during the interview.
But despite his good health, George had a close call this time last year.
He said: “I had a fall in the bedroom. I stumbled and caught my back on the dressing table stool. I broke three ribs and punctured a lung. At that age, it wasn’t too clever.
“Touch wood, we did get through it. I was in hospital three times, when I came out I was in the nursing home for a couple months. Then I came home here which I was very pleased about.
“Malcolm had a go at me when I was in the Royal Sussex, I nearly kicked the bucket there.”
Malcolm jumps in: “I didn’t hold back, the nurses looked at me, the patients looked at me. When I left, George was lifting himself up and down in his bed, I asked what he was doing. He said was doing his exercises.”
George, whose wife Dorothy died a few years ago, has been back at home since his time in hospital and his short stay in a nursing home.
He said: “I have Malcolm and his wife Allison who do a lot for me, my next door neighbours do my shopping, one of my neighbours across the road does the garden. All in all, I’m well looked after.
“We go to the pub once a week for a drink.”
George and Malcolm, 80, first met 18 years ago at East Brighton Golf Club in Roedean Road.
Both men are originally from Kent and George recognised Malcolm’s surname from growing up in Whitstable.
Malcolm said: “I joined East Brighton Golf Club in October 2004, we were in the men’s locker room one morning after a round of golf. I was talking and someone called out my name.
“George happened to be in there, he said ‘are you a Gann?’
“He asked where I came from to which I said Canterbury in Kent. He said he came from Whitstable.
“I told him my great grandparents started the Whitstable Oyster Company.
“George used to play for Whitstable Football Club. He told me ‘I was standing on the pitch when I was seven between your great grandfather and my (George’s) father’.”
George added: “My father used to go regularly to the games and would take me. There was Fred Gann and a few other people.
“I have a photograph of my father and Malcolm’s great-grandfather sitting in the same football team.
“After that day, we played golf a lot together until I gave up at 96. I was holding him up.”
“We have a wonderful friendship”, said Malcolm, “love at first sight!”
Malcolm, a retired farmer, added: “After his time in hospital, I made George promise to call me so I know he’s all right. He has kept that promise, he calls me around 10am every morning.
“Then he cooks his full English and has some porridge. Sometimes he gets up in the middle of the night for a sandwich.
“It’s been a wonderful friendship, I could never wish for better. We reminisce out in the garden with a glass of whisky.”
George said he had a “marvellous” time for his birthday, which was organised by Malcolm and Allison.
He added: “There was around 80 people there, people from the golf club, relatives, the son of my bomb aimer from Ipswich and the son of my navigator from Belfast.
“Five representatives came from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, there were representatives from Biggin Hill Memorial Museum.
“People raised a few glasses to me, I raised a few red wines to myself.”
But what is George’s secret to a long life?
“I could say wine, women and song”, he jokes, “I have lived a fairly moderate life I think, I have played a lot of sport, golf, cricket, tennis, football and squash.
“The key is if you can keep good health and you have to be a bit lucky. I have had quite a few spells in hospital but I have always come out.”
George received six medals during his time in the RAF, the Distinguished Flying Cross, 1939-1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-1945, and the French Legion d’Honneur awarded by the French government.
He has a picture of himself with his crew, named "G for George" in 1943. Pictured from left are Flight Officer Reg McCadden, who was navigator, Sergeant 'Dixie' Dean, rear gunner, Sergeant Jack Todd, wireless operator, Pilot Officer George in the middle, Sergeant Ferris Newton, flight engineer, Flight Officer Andy Maitland who was bomb aimer and Flight Officer Joe Scrivener, who was mid upper gunner.
George was only 20 in the picture, taken in front of a Halifax Bomber. He is the last surviving member of the crew.
George flew in 44 operational flights during the Second World War.
He was then posted 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 and visited the museum again earlier this week.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel