HOSFORD, George Lynas. (George Medal)Flight Sergeant, Pilot 1283824, Royal Air Force (VR) died 30th January 1943 aged 22. He was killed flying Wellington X3890 of 16 OUT, RAF Upper Heyford when it crashed into the side of Brown Clee Hill near Kidderminster, Worcestershire on a training flight. He flew 42 Ops with 104 Squadron before becoming a pilot instructor at 16 OTU. Son of Charles Maxwell Hosford and Eleanor Whitely Hosford, of Tottenham, Middlesex. He is at rest in St Elizabeth Churchyard, Dundonald, County Down, Northern Ireland.
Updated information 20th July 2017. courtesy of PennyvdB1949 Ancestry.
London Gazette FRIDAY, the 24th of DECEMBER, 1942 why he was awarded the GM. Very brave man indeed as were so many of them "1283824 Sergeant George Lynas Hosford, Royal AirForce.
Sergeant Hosford was in charge of a party which laid a flare path and loaded bombs on to a squadron of aircraft when they were operating from an airfield one night in June, 1942. The bombers
had taken off from a nearby landing ground and, soon afterwards, enemy aircraft commenced to drop flares and bombs in the neighbourhood. The attack continued throughout the night. At 2300 hours our bombers commenced to arrive back,
landing at the airfield, to be re-fuelled and reloaded for a second sortie. One of the aircraft, when taking off on its second operation, received a direct hit by an enemy bomb; a terrific explosion occurred and the aircraft burst into flames. Three members of the crew escaped through the pilot's escape hatch, whilst the rear gunner, who was badly injured but had managed to free himself from his turret, was assisted by Sergeant Hosford to get clear of the aircraft. The bombs on the aircraft began to explode but, despite the great danger, Sergeant Hosford returned to the blazing wreckage for the wireless operator, who was lying seriously injured close to it and dragged him to a nearby vehicle. The vehicle was badly damaged and, although Sergeant Hosford had not driven before, he succeeded in driving the vehicle away
from the danger area. During the whole of this time enemy aircraft were overhead bombing and machine gunning the blazing aircraft. Afterwards to enable our bombers to land when returning from operations, Sergeant Hosford helped to re-lay a flare path, which he manned for the rest of the night. He displayed courage and devotion to duty of a very high standard and undoubtedly saved two lives
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35837/supplement/5635/data.pdf
