Beurling was recognised as "Canada's most famous hero of Second World War", as "The Falcon of Malta" and the "Knight of Malta", having been credited with shooting down 27 Axis aircraft in just 14 days over the besieged Mediterranean island. Before the war ended his official total climbed to either 31 or 31 1⁄3. Beurling's wartime service was terminated prior to war's end. In an attempt to continue combat flying in the postwar era, Beurling lost his life in a crash while attempting to deliver an aircraft to Israel. (Intro from Wikipedia)
December 6, 1921 - Verdun, Quebec, Canada - George Frederick Beurling is born
January(?) 1(?), 1931 - Cartierville Airfield - George is noticed by Ted Hogan, a pilot at Cartierville airfield, and is taken on a flight for the first time
December 6, 1933 - Cartierville Airfield - George takes the controls of Ted Hogan's aircraft for the first time on his 12th birthday
January(?) 1(?), 1935 - Cartierville Airfield - George starts selling newspapers and model aircraft to save for flying lessons
January(?) 1(?), 1938 - Cartierville Airfield - George starts flying solo
June(?) 1(?), 1938 - Montreal - Beurling leaves Verdun High School and starts working at RCA-Victor Radio Factory
February 1(?), 1939 - Montreal - Beurling gets frustrated with his job at the factory and leaves. Ted Hogan suggests him to travel to Gravenhurst, Ontario, where he had a contact, called Smith Langley, who ran a freight contract flying Curtiss Robins into the Rouyn goldfields
April 16, 1939 - Gravenhurst, Ontario - Beurling earns his flying permit, after flying the Curtiss Robins on the Gravenhurst-Rouyn run for a full six weeks
June 30, 1939 - Sea Island Airport, Vancouver - With financial support from his uncle, Beurling amasses another 120 hours of flying at Len Foggen Flying School - Sea Island Airport
July 1(?), 1939 - Seattle - Beurling crosses to the USA illegally, resulting in his arrest. He is held in custody for 2 months
September 1, 1939 - Seattle - American authorities release Beurling and put him onboard a train to Montreal
September(?) 15(?), 1939 - Montreal - Beurling visits RCAF recruiting center but is not accepted for lack of academic qualifications. Visit to the Finnish Consul - the finns are interested in George, however, his parents didn't sign the consent form
May 1(?), 1940 - Cartierville Airfield - Beurling is caught flying aerobatics and receives a one month ban
June 29, 1940 - Montreal Harbour - Beurling boards the swedish munition-ship "Valparaíso" to Glasgow
July 16, 1940 - Glasgow, Scotland - At RAF recruiting center, Beurling is told he had to go back to Canada to get his flight log and birth certificate
August 3, 1940 - Montreal Harbour - The damaged "Valparaiso" returns to Montreal
August 8, 1940 - Montreal Harbour - Beurling boards the repaired "Valparaíso" to Glasgow, once again
September 7, 1940 - Glasgow | London - At Glasgow, Beurling is given a rail ticket to London, and formally joins the Royal Air Force =(START)
September 20, 1940 - Uxbridge - Posted to the Manning Depot
November 2, 1940 - RAF Hendon - Beurling is shipped to RAF Hendon for basic training
December 25, 1940 - Bobbington, Devon - Beurling is posted to No.1 Initial training wing, and starts flying solo
February 28, 1941 - Bobbington - Beurling is promoted to leading aircraftsman
April 8, 1941 - Meir, Staffordshire - Beurling arrives at No.5 Elementary Flying Training School. The unit was equipped with Miles Masters and Magisters
June 23, 1941 - Montrose, Scotland - Beurling arrives at No.8 Service Flying Training School
September 7, 1941 - Montrose - Beurling's flying course ends
September 9, 1941 - Montrose - Beurling is promoted to Sergeant
September 10, 1941 - London - Beurling and colleagues travel to London on leave. He witnesses the effects of the german blitz
September 23, 1941 - Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales - Beurling reaches the No.57 Operational Training Unit at RAF Hawarden
December 16, 1941 - Martlesham Heath, Suffolk - Posted as a Sergeant Pilot to RCAF 403 Squadron
December 24, 1941 - North Weald, Essex - RCAF 403 Squadron is transfered to North Weald
December 25, 1941 - North Weald, Essex - First (uneventful) combat mission flying the Spitfire, across the English Channel
February 2, 1942 - North Weald, Essex - The squadron is attacked by FW190s and Bf109s between Oostende and Dunkirk
February 12, 1942 - North Weald, Essex - Air combat over the English Channel with german fighters covering the battleships "scharnhorst" and "gneisenau"
February 25, 1942 - North Weald, Essex - Air-Vice Marshal Leigh-Mallory gives the squadron a lecture entitled "Review of war and our possibilities in the Spring of 1942"
April 17, 1942 - Merston, West Sussex - Beurling joins 41 Squadron
May 1, 1942 - Merston - Sweep over Calais - 1 Fw190 shot down (1 total)
May 3, 1942 - Merston - Beurling breaks formation to pursue a lone FW190 over Cap Gris Nez and shoot it down. Beurling is reprimanded for attacking without permission and becomes unpopular with his superiors and fellow pilots (2 total)
May 22, 1942 - Embarkation Depot, Southampton(?) - Beurling joins another 35 pilots to travel overseas - destiny unknown. Beurling volunteers to replace a recently married pilot
May 26, 1942 - Embarkation Depot - Beurling and the other pilots depart aboard a merchant ship, carrying 36 crated spitfires and escorted by warships
June 2, 1942 - Gibraltar - The convoy reaches Gibraltar
June 7, 1942 - Gibraltar - Beurling departs from Gibraltar aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle
June 9, 1942 - Coast of Algeria | Malta - Beurling lands his Spitfire in Malta, after having flown off the deck of HMS Eagle
June 12, 1942 - Malta - Beurling involved with other 3 spitfires in combat against 8 Bf109s - credited with a Bf 109 damaged
July 6, 1942 - Malta - Beurling shoots down 2 Macchi C202 + 1 Bf 109 in a major air battle. Damages a CANT Z.1007 (5 total)
July 8, 1942 - Malta - 1 Bf109 destroyed + 2 damaged south of Gozo (7 total)
July 10, 1942 - Malta - 1 Bf 109 + 1 MC202 shot down (9 total)
July 12, 1942 - Malta - 3 MC202 shot down north of Gozo (12 total)
July 14, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is badly shot up by italian reggianes
July 23, 1942 - Malta - 1 Re 2001 shot down + 1 Ju-88 damaged (13 total)
July 24, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal
July 27, 1942 - Malta - Beurling downs 2 Macchi MC202 and 2 BF109s + 2 "damaged" near Valletta (17 total)
July 29, 1942 - Malta - 1 BF109 destroyed (18 total)
July 30, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is commissioned as a Pilot Officer
August 3, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is struck down with a type of dysentery nick-named "Malta Dog"
August 8, 1942 - Malta - Beurling shoots down a Bf 109 but is shot down by either Herbert Rollwage or Siegfried Freytag or Fw Pohl, of I./JG77 (19 total)
August 13, 1942 - Malta - 1 third share JU-88 destroyed (19,33 total)
August 25, 1942 - Malta - 2 Bf 109 destroyed + 1 Bf 109 damaged (21,33 total)
September 4, 1942 - Malta - Beurling wins a Bar to his "Distinguished Flying Medal" for his exploits on 27/7
September 25, 1942 - Malta - Beurling claims 3 downed aircraft, but none is confirmed
October 10, 1942 - Malta - While testing his new Spitfire, Beurling intercepts and shoots 2 Bf109s over Filfla (23,33 total)
October 13, 1942 - Malta - Beurling shoots down a Ju-88 and 2 Bf 109s + 1 "damaged" N of St.Paul's Bay, Malta (26,33 total)
October 14, 1942 - Malta - Beurling shoots down 2 Bf 109s and a Ju-88, but is shot down by another Bf109. He bails out into the sea and is rescued, requiring hospitalization (29,33 total)
October 16, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
October 25, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is visited in hospital by Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park to congratulate him on the award of his DSO and to inform him that he was going home on leave by request of the Canadian Government, to help with a recruiting and war bond drive
October 31, 1942 - Malta | Gibraltar - Beurling and other tour-expired pilots depart as passengers in a Liberator to Gibraltar. The aircraft suffers an accident at landing during severe thunderstorms and several passengers are killed. Beurling manages to jump to the water and is rescued
November 3, 1942 - Preswick, Scotland - Beurling is taken on another Liberator to Scotland
November 4(?), 1942 - Gander, Newfoundland - Beurling arrives in Canada
November 5(?), 1942 - Montreal - Beurling arrives in Montreal's Dorval Airport with his family and the Prime-Minister waiting for him
January(?) 1(?), 1943 - Ottawa - Beurling is promoted to Flying Officer
February 18, 1943 - Montreal - Beurling recovers and embarks on a month-long Victory Bond promotional programme
February 22, 1943 - Toronto - Visit to a De Havilland Mosquito factory as part of the Victory Bond programme
March 2, 1943 - Vancouver - Victory Bond tour. Meets his uncle
March 3, 1943 - Jericho Beach - Meets Diana Gardner, a war-widow
May 5, 1943 - New York City(?) - Beurling boards the "Queen Elizabeth" troopship to Glasgow
May 11, 1943 - Gourock, Scotland - The "Queen Elizabeth" docks in the Clyde
May 12, 1943 - London - Train to London
May 24(?), 1943 - Buckingham Palace, London - George Beurling receives the DSO, the DFC, the DFM and Bar from King George VI
May 27, 1943 - Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire - Beurling is posted to the Central Gunnery School at RAF Sutton Bridge
June 8, 1943 - Sutton Bridge - Beurling is forced to bail out of his Spitfire during a mock dogfight
July 6, 1943 - Rednall, Shropshire - Beurling is posted to No.61 OTU as a gunnery instructor
September 1, 1943 - Headcorn, Kent - Beurling is transfered to the 403 Squadron of Royal Canadian Air Force, flying the Spitfire IX
September 24, 1943 - Headcorn - 1 Fw190 shot down (30,33 total)
October 14, 1943 - Kenley, Surrey - RCAF 403 Squadron is transfered to Kenley
November 29, 1943 - Biggin Hill - Beurling is sent to No.412 Squadron
December 30, 1943 - Biggin Hill - 1 Fw190 shot down over Compiègne while covering returning american bombers (31,33 total)
February 4, 1944 - Biggin Hill - Beurling takes command of the Squadron for the first time
March 25, 1944 - Biggin Hill - The squadron is non-operational for a week. Beurling requests command of a flight of P-51s but is turned down. His combat career was over
April 30, 1944 - Gourock, Scotland - Beurling boards the "Queen Elizabeth" to Halifax
May 7, 1944 - Halifax, Nova Scotia - Beurling returns to Canada
May 28, 1944 - Vancouver - Leave in Vancouver
June 13, 1944 - Saint-Hubert, Quebec - Posted as a ferry pilot to No.3 Training Command
July 23, 1944 - Montreal - Beurling's resignation from RCAF is announced
October 16, 1944 - Montreal - Honorable discharge, as a Squadron Leader
November 29, 1944 - Montreal - Beurling and Diana Gardner are married
March 1(?), 1945 - Montreal - Beurling's marriage ends, but he is not formally divorced
May 25, 1945 - Montreal - Beurling tries to rejoin the RCAF but is turned down
June 12, 1945 - Montreal - Beurling attempt to join the chinese national air Force is also turned down
October 1(?), 1945 - Montreal - Beurling starts working as a life assurance underwriter for the Sun Life Assurance Company
May 1(?), 1947 - Sherbrooke Valley, Quebec - Beurling gets a job as flying instructor with Sherbrooke Airways
April 1(?), 1948 - Montreal - Beurling learns about the israeli-arab war and contacts the jewish recruiting agent in Montreal, Ben Dunkelman
May 5, 1948 - Rome, Italy - Beurling arrives in Rome aboard a commercial flight, with intent to join the Israeli Air Force
May 20, 1948 - Rome, Italy - Beurling test-flies an ex-USAAF Norseman transport aircraft, but the engine explodes on landing. George Beurling dies on the resulting inferno, aged 26 =(END)
December 25, 1940 - Bobbington, Devon - Beurling is posted to No.1 Initial training wing, and starts flying solo
February 28, 1941 - Bobbington - Beurling is promoted to leading aircraftsman
April 8, 1941 - Meir, Staffordshire - Beurling arrives at No.5 Elementary Flying Training School. The unit was equipped with Miles Masters and Magisters
June 23, 1941 - Montrose, Scotland - Beurling arrives at No.8 Service Flying Training School
September 7, 1941 - Montrose - Beurling's flying course ends
September 9, 1941 - Montrose - Beurling is promoted to Sergeant
September 10, 1941 - London - Beurling and colleagues travel to London on leave. He witnesses the effects of the german blitz
September 23, 1941 - Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales - Beurling reaches the No.57 Operational Training Unit at RAF Hawarden
December 16, 1941 - Martlesham Heath, Suffolk - Posted as a Sergeant Pilot to RCAF 403 Squadron
December 24, 1941 - North Weald, Essex - RCAF 403 Squadron is transfered to North Weald
December 25, 1941 - North Weald, Essex - First (uneventful) combat mission flying the Spitfire, across the English Channel
February 2, 1942 - North Weald, Essex - The squadron is attacked by FW190s and Bf109s between Oostende and Dunkirk
February 12, 1942 - North Weald, Essex - Air combat over the English Channel with german fighters covering the battleships "scharnhorst" and "gneisenau"
February 25, 1942 - North Weald, Essex - Air-Vice Marshal Leigh-Mallory gives the squadron a lecture entitled "Review of war and our possibilities in the Spring of 1942"
April 17, 1942 - Merston, West Sussex - Beurling joins 41 Squadron
May 1, 1942 - Merston - Sweep over Calais - 1 Fw190 shot down (1 total)
May 3, 1942 - Merston - Beurling breaks formation to pursue a lone FW190 over Cap Gris Nez and shoot it down. Beurling is reprimanded for attacking without permission and becomes unpopular with his superiors and fellow pilots (2 total)
May 22, 1942 - Embarkation Depot, Southampton(?) - Beurling joins another 35 pilots to travel overseas - destiny unknown. Beurling volunteers to replace a recently married pilot
May 26, 1942 - Embarkation Depot - Beurling and the other pilots depart aboard a merchant ship, carrying 36 crated spitfires and escorted by warships
June 2, 1942 - Gibraltar - The convoy reaches Gibraltar
June 7, 1942 - Gibraltar - Beurling departs from Gibraltar aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle
June 9, 1942 - Coast of Algeria | Malta - Beurling lands his Spitfire in Malta, after having flown off the deck of HMS Eagle
June 12, 1942 - Malta - Beurling involved with other 3 spitfires in combat against 8 Bf109s - credited with a Bf 109 damaged
 |
| Beurling with wreckage from an italian fighter he shot down |
July 8, 1942 - Malta - 1 Bf109 destroyed + 2 damaged south of Gozo (7 total)
July 10, 1942 - Malta - 1 Bf 109 + 1 MC202 shot down (9 total)
July 12, 1942 - Malta - 3 MC202 shot down north of Gozo (12 total)
July 14, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is badly shot up by italian reggianes
July 23, 1942 - Malta - 1 Re 2001 shot down + 1 Ju-88 damaged (13 total)
July 24, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal
July 27, 1942 - Malta - Beurling downs 2 Macchi MC202 and 2 BF109s + 2 "damaged" near Valletta (17 total)
July 29, 1942 - Malta - 1 BF109 destroyed (18 total)
July 30, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is commissioned as a Pilot Officer
August 3, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is struck down with a type of dysentery nick-named "Malta Dog"
August 8, 1942 - Malta - Beurling shoots down a Bf 109 but is shot down by either Herbert Rollwage or Siegfried Freytag or Fw Pohl, of I./JG77 (19 total)
August 13, 1942 - Malta - 1 third share JU-88 destroyed (19,33 total)
August 25, 1942 - Malta - 2 Bf 109 destroyed + 1 Bf 109 damaged (21,33 total)
September 4, 1942 - Malta - Beurling wins a Bar to his "Distinguished Flying Medal" for his exploits on 27/7
September 25, 1942 - Malta - Beurling claims 3 downed aircraft, but none is confirmed
October 10, 1942 - Malta - While testing his new Spitfire, Beurling intercepts and shoots 2 Bf109s over Filfla (23,33 total)
October 13, 1942 - Malta - Beurling shoots down a Ju-88 and 2 Bf 109s + 1 "damaged" N of St.Paul's Bay, Malta (26,33 total)
October 14, 1942 - Malta - Beurling shoots down 2 Bf 109s and a Ju-88, but is shot down by another Bf109. He bails out into the sea and is rescued, requiring hospitalization (29,33 total)
October 16, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
October 25, 1942 - Malta - Beurling is visited in hospital by Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park to congratulate him on the award of his DSO and to inform him that he was going home on leave by request of the Canadian Government, to help with a recruiting and war bond drive
October 31, 1942 - Malta | Gibraltar - Beurling and other tour-expired pilots depart as passengers in a Liberator to Gibraltar. The aircraft suffers an accident at landing during severe thunderstorms and several passengers are killed. Beurling manages to jump to the water and is rescued
November 3, 1942 - Preswick, Scotland - Beurling is taken on another Liberator to Scotland
November 4(?), 1942 - Gander, Newfoundland - Beurling arrives in Canada
November 5(?), 1942 - Montreal - Beurling arrives in Montreal's Dorval Airport with his family and the Prime-Minister waiting for him
 |
| Beurling back in Canada, 1943 |
February 18, 1943 - Montreal - Beurling recovers and embarks on a month-long Victory Bond promotional programme
February 22, 1943 - Toronto - Visit to a De Havilland Mosquito factory as part of the Victory Bond programme
March 2, 1943 - Vancouver - Victory Bond tour. Meets his uncle
March 3, 1943 - Jericho Beach - Meets Diana Gardner, a war-widow
May 5, 1943 - New York City(?) - Beurling boards the "Queen Elizabeth" troopship to Glasgow
May 11, 1943 - Gourock, Scotland - The "Queen Elizabeth" docks in the Clyde
May 12, 1943 - London - Train to London
May 24(?), 1943 - Buckingham Palace, London - George Beurling receives the DSO, the DFC, the DFM and Bar from King George VI
May 27, 1943 - Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire - Beurling is posted to the Central Gunnery School at RAF Sutton Bridge
June 8, 1943 - Sutton Bridge - Beurling is forced to bail out of his Spitfire during a mock dogfight
July 6, 1943 - Rednall, Shropshire - Beurling is posted to No.61 OTU as a gunnery instructor
September 1, 1943 - Headcorn, Kent - Beurling is transfered to the 403 Squadron of Royal Canadian Air Force, flying the Spitfire IX
September 24, 1943 - Headcorn - 1 Fw190 shot down (30,33 total)
October 14, 1943 - Kenley, Surrey - RCAF 403 Squadron is transfered to Kenley
November 29, 1943 - Biggin Hill - Beurling is sent to No.412 Squadron
December 30, 1943 - Biggin Hill - 1 Fw190 shot down over Compiègne while covering returning american bombers (31,33 total)
March 25, 1944 - Biggin Hill - The squadron is non-operational for a week. Beurling requests command of a flight of P-51s but is turned down. His combat career was over
April 30, 1944 - Gourock, Scotland - Beurling boards the "Queen Elizabeth" to Halifax
May 7, 1944 - Halifax, Nova Scotia - Beurling returns to Canada
May 28, 1944 - Vancouver - Leave in Vancouver
June 13, 1944 - Saint-Hubert, Quebec - Posted as a ferry pilot to No.3 Training Command
July 23, 1944 - Montreal - Beurling's resignation from RCAF is announced
October 16, 1944 - Montreal - Honorable discharge, as a Squadron Leader
November 29, 1944 - Montreal - Beurling and Diana Gardner are married
March 1(?), 1945 - Montreal - Beurling's marriage ends, but he is not formally divorced
May 25, 1945 - Montreal - Beurling tries to rejoin the RCAF but is turned down
June 12, 1945 - Montreal - Beurling attempt to join the chinese national air Force is also turned down
October 1(?), 1945 - Montreal - Beurling starts working as a life assurance underwriter for the Sun Life Assurance Company
May 1(?), 1947 - Sherbrooke Valley, Quebec - Beurling gets a job as flying instructor with Sherbrooke Airways
April 1(?), 1948 - Montreal - Beurling learns about the israeli-arab war and contacts the jewish recruiting agent in Montreal, Ben Dunkelman
May 5, 1948 - Rome, Italy - Beurling arrives in Rome aboard a commercial flight, with intent to join the Israeli Air Force
May 20, 1948 - Rome, Italy - Beurling test-flies an ex-USAAF Norseman transport aircraft, but the engine explodes on landing. George Beurling dies on the resulting inferno, aged 26 =(END)
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