The Amazing George Frederick Beurling. The Falcon of Malta.
What more can be said about George Beurling that has not been said or written? He was liked, he was disliked by some of his superiors and fellow pilots. I would like to give my own opinion to all, that's if you don't mind? Not the opinion of historians and scholars but my own opinion on George "Buzz" Beurling! He was a heck of a pilot and when i come to think of it, i am so glad he was on our side! (The Allies, that is!) The aircraft he mostly flew in World War 2 was the Spitfire MK. VC. He had a grace to manoeuvre an airplane quite like no other fighter pilot but George unfortunatelly died at the young age of 27 years old. During World War 2 George was shot down four times and was injured but made it through his injuries. This is quite amazing that he lived through the four crashes! The way he handled an airplane was quite dangerous and couragous at the same time. George had a very good eyesight and his manoeuvres were quite, if not incredible and judged by many to be lunatic and crazy! I think he simply did his manoeuvres out of shear courage and many airmen were envious of his amazing stunts and couragagous manoeuvres. He did this for the war effort, so the allies could win the war. I believe he risked his life doing all those crazy stunts for our freedom! Mind you that when falling out of the sky on a roll and gaining control of your aircraft at the very last moment requires quite a bit of skill and courage but these stunts did out manoeuvre the ennemy on many occasions. His stunts and manoeuvres, he did them at his own risk because he was couragous and knew that it could make him crash and be killed! Everyone knows George Beurling was born in Verdun, Québec, Canada. Everyone knows that George Beurling did not always follow orders and was somewhat of a rebel in the Air Force. Everyone knows he would leave his squadron on combat missions to knock the heck out of the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force) with 32 kills over Malta and George came to be known as screwball Beurling for all his amazing war stunts over Malta and the Mediterranean.
Earned World War 2 awards to George Beurling, The distinguished service order, The Distinguished flying cross, The Distinguished flying medal and bar. Quite an accomplishment for a World War 2 Canadian RCAF pilot!
George was given an honorable discharge from the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1944.
Many in the RCAF and RAF did not like George Beurling because he did not always follow the orders of his officers. I agree that we must, in life follow the orders of our superiors. This goes for the average Joe like myself. But after all the amazing feats and courage he achieved over Malta in 1942, i still believe George Beurling is a true Canadian war hero. George Beurling is buried in Haifa, Israel because he wanted to fly for the Israeli Air Force after World War 2 but he never made it alive to Israel. When i think that no one claimed his body at the time of his death kind of makes me sad! His body was not claimed for three months after the time of his death in Italy in 1948 when his Norseman aircraft crashed on take off killing himself and WW2 United States RAF volunteer veteran Leonard Cohen. George Beurling was buried in Italy until 1950 and then his remains were transfered to Israel in 1950.
George wanted to fly for the Israeli Air Force because when i think of it, he couldn't live without the rush of combat. I have heard that there is some kind of adrenaline rush that goes through your body while you are in combat that is so hard to replace once the battle is over and can become addictive? This is probably what happened to George Beurling, he wanted to fly for Israel to protect the Israeli territory and to get that rush of adrenaline he would not get in civilian life? This is my assumption? I have heard that no one claimed his body when he died in May, 1948, not his family? Although, i am very sceptic about this information that no one in his family claimed his body when he died? Not the Canadian Gouverment either? How can this be when you are a National war hero here in Canada? George flew for the RCAF and RAF. If i were living in 1948 and would have known that George Beurling were dead, i would have been the first Canadian to want to have this war hero buried in our Canadian soil. What ever the case may be, this is only known to history?
I am very happy to let you know there is the George Beurling Academy in Verdun, Québec and the Beurling park and also Beurling boulevard, in Verdun, Québec . I don't know if there is any other monument or street named after him in Verdun? What ever the case maybe, i live in the Montréal area and will some time this summer get pictures and information from Verdun, Québec to post on my blog. Pictures of where George lived, his neighbouhood, his city and the park named after him. Please stay tuned because, hopefully i will have some interresting pictures and stories to share about our great Canadian War hero, George ''Buzz'' Beurling sometime this summer.
Click on the link below to see the George Beurling avenue and parc in Verdun, Québec on Google earth.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ei=cyUjSvzvFdqJtgfsiKD9DQ&resnum=0&q=beurling%20boulevard%2C%20verdun&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl
If there are any pictures or stories or opinions you would like to share about this amazing World War 2 Canadian war hero, please let me know and i will gladly post it on my blog!
Thank you George for your courage and efforts you have given us! Rest in Peace George.
More tributes to RCAF and RAF pilots will be done in the future. Stay posted for more great historical stories of our heroes to follow!
