George Acorn was born on 23rd August 1923 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, he was the son of Edgar Franklyn and Lena Judson Acorn (nee Sheppard). As a boy he attended the Prince Street School in Charlottetown between 1929 and 1939 and then undertook seven months bookkeeping studying at business college in 1940 but gave this up to enlist in the RCAF. He was also working for his father's taxidriving business at the same time as studying bookkeeping. He enlisted for RCAF service in Charlottetown on 26th September 1941 stating he wished to undertake wireless operator training to become aircrew. After training as a wireless operator / air gunner he was awarded his Air Gunner's half-wings on 23rd November 1942. He was then posted overseas the following month and having arrived in England trained at 2 (O)AFU beginning 1st January 1943, 22 OTU beginning 23rd February 1943 and 1659 HCU beginning 25h April 1943.
With this training complete he was posted to 408 Squadron on 16th May 1943. Following baling out of Halifax JD174 he was uninjured and as with many of his then crew he was soon posted to 405 Squadron who were an RCAF Pathfinder squadron. His service file states he was posted to 405 Squadron on 24th July 1943. F/O Donald Bain had sustained injuries in baling out of Halifax JD174 and I assume his crew were left pilotless and experienced. Their experience on operations probably saw them go to join 405 Squadron PFF rather than pick up a less experienced pilot with 408 Squadron.
On 3rd / 4th December 1943 he was flying in 405 Squadron Lancaster JB222 on an operational flight to bomb Leipzig, the aircraft left Gransden Lodge at 00.24hrs and failed to return.
The aircraft crashed near Delitzsch, Germany with the loss of the crew of seven, all were initially buried locally but all now lie in Berlin War Cemetery. WO2 George Acorn was only twenty years old, he left an older sister. I thank Mr Graham Sharpe for the photograph of his gravestone.
