The Airmen's Stories - P/O G H Corbett

George Henry Corbett was born in Saskatchewan, Canada on 4th November 1919, the son of Henry Claude Corbett and Mabel Corbett (nee Adams).

His parents had emigrated there from Tunbridge Wells in Kent in 1914. The family moved to British Columbia in 1929.

Corbett graduated from High School in 1935 and soon afterwards went with his family to England.

He was enrolled in the De Havilland Aircraft Construction School at Hatfield. Corbett leamed to fly and joined the RAFVR about November 1937 as an Airman u/t Pilot.

When war broke out he was in Canada on a two month visit which he cut short and returned to England, arriving on the Aquitania at Southampton on 30th September 1939.

With flying training completed at 9 FTS, Corbett went to 7 OTU at Hawarden on 7th July 1940 and after converting to Spitfires he joined 66 Squadron at Coltishall on the 26th.

He was shot down by Me109s over East Grinstead on 9th September. His Spitfire, N3049, is believed to have crashed at Cowden after he baled out slightly injured.

On 27th September Corbett claimed a Ju88 destroyed. During the action his aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and he crash-landed near Orpington unhurt.

Corbett was killed on 8th October 1940, shot down by Me109s. His Spitfire, R6779, crashed and burned out on Bayford Marshes, Upchurch.

Corbett is buried in St Mary's churchyard extension, Upchurch, Kent.

His family in Canada commissioned a stained glass window (below) showing Corbett's image which forms part of an extensive set of windows at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Elgin Road, Oak Bay, Victoria, British Columbia.