The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. G A Steward

George Arthur Steward of Bromeswell, Suffolk was educated at Melton Council School and Leiston County Secondary School. He joined the RAF in January 1936 as a direct-entry Airman u/t Pilot. He completed his training and was with 17 Squadron at the outbreak of war. 

The squadron went to France on 18th May 1940. The following day Steward claimed a Me109 destroyed and on the 21st he shared a Hs126. The squadron was withdrawn to Kenley on the 24th. Next day Steward damaged a Ju87 in the Calais area and he damaged a Do17 near Dunkirk on the 27th. On 6th June he damaged a Me109. Steward shared a probable Me110 on 27th August, destroyed another on 27th September, shared a Do17 on 6th October, destroyed a Ju87, probably another and damaged a third on 8th November and probably destroyed a Me109 and shared another on the 11th.

He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 17th December 1940).

Commissioned in February 1941, Steward was killed on 23rd October 1941 as a Flight Lieutenant with 17 Squadron. Two Hurricane IIb aircraft, Z2485 and Z3906, took off from Tain airfield, Scotland. They collided shortly after takeoff and crashed within a few hundred yards of each other. Sgt. CP Allsop was also killed.

Steward was 26 and is buried in St Edmund's churchyard, Bromeswell.