George “Ducky” Knowles was born in Kinkardine, Scotland on October 30, 1918, the eldest son of Gordon A. and Catherine Knowles, of 117 North Forsyth Street, Sarnia. He came to Canada with his parents, when he was a small child and lived in New Brunswick for five years. The family moved to Sarnia when George was six years old and so he attended Sarnia public and Sarnia Collegiate schools. While at Sarnia Collegiate, he played basketball and football, was a member of the signalling team and was manager of the senior rugby team for one year. He also played City League softball and baseball. George was a member of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and belonged to the Central Century Club, where he played softball, basketball and hockey. Prior to enlisting, he belonged to the Reserve Army, R.C.A., for over a year and was employed with Muellers Limited.

George enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force on March 9, 1941. In June of 1941, he went to the Toronto Manning Depot of the R.C.A.F. and later trained at Camp Borden and the No. 1 Wireless School at Montreal. While there, he won a silver medal for proficiency by passing second in a class of 58 candidates, graduating as a Wireless Air Gunner. He then attended the bombing and gunnery school at Jarvis. He graduated on July 18, 1942, receiving his commission as a Pilot Officer. After his graduation, he was posted to the R.A.F. station at Greenwood, Nova Scotia, becoming a member of the RCAF #36 Operational Training Unit.

On October 8, 1942, George Knowles was part of a crew of seven in Hudson aircraft BW700 that was engaged in air exercises over the Bay of Fundy, when it crashed four miles north of Point George, Nova Scotia. The next day, parents Gordon and Catherine in Sarnia would receive a telegram from headquarters advising them that their son, Pilot Officer Knowles is missing, believed killed, while engaged in air exercises over the sea. No details of the crash were made available. Eyewitnesses would later report that the plane had just circled close to the fishing community Port George shore and was turning to retrace its course, when the roar of its engines ceased, and the aircraft, already flying at a low altitude, slid off to one side and smacked into the water. Reports were that the plane sank almost immediately. “It seemed to go right under,” according to one eyewitness. “There was the sound of the crash, a cloud of smoke, and that was all.” Rescue attempts from shore could not be made as boats had been hauled hard aground in preparation for winter storage.

Along with Pilot Officer-Pilot George Knowles, also killed were Sgt.s R.O. Barrett, D.W. Armstrong, and B. Desmarais; P/O. H.R. Woodman; F/O. J.C. McFarlane; and FS. D. Shackell (RAF).  No trace of members of the crew was ever found. The waters at that point were reported to be deep and the current very strong when the tide was going out to sea. In late May of 1943, parents Gordon and Catherine Knowles in Sarnia would receive a telegram from the R.C.A.F. casualties officer stating, Deeply regret to advise you that your son, pilot Officer George William Knowles, reported missing, believed killed, is for official purposes, presumed to have died October 8, 1942. Please accept my profound sympathy. In June of 1943, George Knowles’ name would later appear on the published R.C.A.F. casualty list as Previously reported missing and believed killed on active service in Canada, now for official purposes presumed dead. Twenty-three year old George Knowles has no known grave. His name is inscribed on the Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Canada, Panel 1, Column 5.

SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, L, M, N, S, 2C, 2D