Sergeant Observer, RAF
Born: March 27th 1916
Died: July 16th 1941
Age at Death: 25
Killed on active service, July 16th 1941
House Prefect 1932
Colts 15 1930-1932
Exhibitioner
George Dvorjetz was born in Ealing, London, on 27 March 1916 to Jacob and Rachel Dvorjetz, both originally from Poland. His father was a company director. George was a bright boy, winning an exhibition at the College, and serving as a Prefect in Bristol House. After leaving the College he became a cinema manager but also trained as a pilot, earning his aviator certificate in 1938. Joining the RAF early in the Second World War, by April 1941 he was with 21 Squadron in Norfolk.
After completing the standard number of missions over enemy territory expected of bomber personnel, he became station navigation officer, which meant that he flew combat missions only rarely. On 16 July he had the day off, so decided to go fishing in the lake in the grounds of Blickling Hall. He had just arrived when he was called back and told to report for a briefing by his wing commander, who sent him on a raid on German shipping in Rotterdam.
Dvorjetz’s aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire over Rotterdam. According to eyewitnesses, the pilot initially tried to land in a park with a large playground, but realised that it was full of children and their mothers. He ascended again in a bid to land in a canal, but the plane’s wing tip hit a building and the plane plunged into the bank of the canal, killing all occupants.
Every year local people, including the children of a nearby school, commemorate the self-sacrifice of an aircrew who appear to have greatly reduced their own chances of surviving to save innocent civilians. George’s remains lie in the Crooswijk Cemetery in Rotterdam.