George served with 103 Squadron as an Air Gunner. He was part of Flight Sergeant McMahons crew, which consisted of;
Flight Sergeant M McMahon
Sergeant R B Stocks
Sgt J W Brewster
Flying Officer A G MacDonald, RNZAF
Sergeant A R Fleming
Sgt G E Crawford
Sergeant T Thompson
In all George took part in 12 operational sorties, which are detailed below;
27/08/43 Lancaster ED888 Nuremberg
29/08/43 Lancaster ED713 Munchengladbach
03/09/43 Lancaster JA957 Berlin
02/10/43 Lancaster JB277 Munich
03/10/43 Lancaster JB277 Kassel
07/10/43 Lancaster JB277 Stuttgart
03/11/43 Lancaster JB277 Dusseldorf
10/11/43 Lancaster JB555 Modane
18/11/43 Lancaster JB277 Berlin
22/11/43 Lancaster JB277 Berlin
16/12/43 Lancaster JB277 Berlin
20/12/43 Lancaster JB747 Frankfurt
24/12/43 Lancaster JB730 Berlin
At 0045hrs on 24 December 1943 George set off from Elsham Wolds on a sotrie to Berlin. The Lancaster crashed along the way, either due to flak or night fighters, and none of the crew survived.
Sergeant George Ernest Crawford (841109) and some of his crew are buried in a collective grave 10.D3-7 at Rheinberg War Cemetery.
Commonwealth War Graves Commision
David Fell http://elshamwolds.50g.com
