George Beurling

Born December 12th, 1921 in Wiarton, Ontario, Canada and grew up in Montreal. His parents were Hetty Florence and Friedrich Gustav Beurling, who brought him up in the strict observance of their Christian faith, a sect which believed more in the Old Testament than in the new one. This affected his childhood and education, creating a foundation of calmness and unity, providing a closeness to God and the Heavens, which also led him to learn flying at the age of 14. Also loved music and all branches of sport, especially swimming, attaining a high standard in both music and sport.
In the very early months of World War II he tried to join the "Flying Tigers" fighting on the side of the Chinese against the Japanese. Both the Canadian and the Finnish Air Forces would not accept him, in spite of his 250 hours flying time. In the end he managed to reach England on a cargo ship and was accepted as a Pilot in the Royal Air Force. Posted to the besieged island of Malta, where he shot down 27 German and Italian aircraft, who were attacking the island without respite, earning the title of the "Maltese Eagle".
In one of the aerial dogfights in which he downed three enemy planes, his Spitfire crashed into the sea. Wounded, he was rescued. While in hospital he was commissioned as an officer and awarded his third Distinguished Service Medal. He was sent back to Canada to recover, then joined the Royal Canadian Airforce and returned to active duty in the European area, continued with many heroic air battles and earned more decorations including the Victoria Cross.
He aspired to contribute to the best of his ability in the justified war against the Nazis, in the spirit of his education and personality, to help his brothers in arms. His book, "Spitfire Above Malta", describes in a graphic and enthralling fashion, his deeds in the "Battle of Malta".
On his return home he was honoured by both military and civilian authorities of his city. Because of his world-wide fame as a pilot, he was offered lucrative positions in many countries of Latin America, China and Arab but refused to sell himself because of his talents.
When he learned that his country of the Bible had been declared and was struggling for its very existence, he volunteered himself and his abilities to that nation he knew and loved from the Holy Scriptures. He made contact with Haganah representatives, flew as a passenger to Rome. There at Urbe Airfield, together with a Jewish pilot, from Britain, Leonard Cohen, who had also distinguished himself in defense of Malta and other battles of World War II*, were preparing to ferry a light Norseman Transport Plane to Israel. Soon after take-off on May 20th, 1948 the plane caught fire in mid-air and crashed engulfed in flames. Both of them were killed. Sabotage was suspected but never proven.
The Canadian Consul in Rome organized his burial in the Catholic Cemetery in Rome. To honor him, the Jews of Rome closed their shops to attend his funeral. The Israeli Airforce bestowed on him the posthumous rank of Flight Commander. With the approval of his parents his body was re-interred and transferred to Israel and laid to rest on November 11th, 1950 with a military ceremony in a special section for non-Jews at the Haifa Carmel Military Cemetery.