Hooked on Classics
Corporal George Talbot Hook Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
The Man George Talbot Hook was born at Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire on 5th March 1917 and christened at Aylesbury Church. He was educated at the City of Oxford High School and later Reading School; where he joined the Officer Training Corps as a Private. His strong academic subjects were physics and chemistry and he became interested in forensic science. Upon leaving school George joined Midland Bank where he worked for many years as a clerk and later Manager but with the inevitability of World War 2, enlisted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in March 1939 as a Leading Aircraftsman service number 744966. At the time he was living at 125 Wilderness Road, Earley in Reading. He started his training to become an Air Gunner in April 1939 completing his initial air experience flights in the Hawker Hart and Hind bi-planes and the Miles Magister. He then transferred to No 9 Air Observer School at RAF Penrose on 28th November 1939 where he continued his trained in the Hawker Demon and Westland Wallace bi-planes completing 1hour and 55 minutes in the air and qualifying as an Air Gunner on 9th January 1940. Having qualified George was transferred to No 264 Squadron at RAF Martlesham Heath where he continued training in the Miles Magister and then the Boulton Defiant. Moving again on 30th January to 236 Squadron still at Martlesham Heath and began turret practice and formation flying in Bristol Blenheims. This lasted until 14th March 1940 when he had amassed a further 14hours 15 minutes flying time.
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Little else is presently known about his war time service, but he was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, Defence Medal and 1939-1945 British War Medal and he was quoted as saying that as he was of a large build the gun galleys in the rear of the aircraft were very tight for him! It was during the War between January and March 1942 that he -married Marion Chelmick Couling at Enbourne Church in Berkshire having two children, Richard in 1944 and Sarah in 1948. At the end of the War George was posted to Palestine and whilst serving there invented a fly trap which he installed inside the signal van he was working in. It was made of crossed wires attached to a battery and he often wished he had patented this device as before long he started to see them in use in British butcher’s shops! He was awarded the General Service Medal with ‘Palestine 1945-48 clasp’. He had many classical interests in later life, photography, archaeology, history, architecture and church music, often playing the organ in his local church for various services. He was a very knowledgeable man and would often travel with his daughter Sarah all over the country looking at Cathedrals, Roman remains and general places of interest. He knew Latin and Greek and could translate script whenever he came across any on buildings or manuscripts. According to his daughter George was an even tempered, kind, compassionate and generous man who was particularly kind to animals. He was satisfied with what he had in life and would often help anyone in trouble. He was always the cente of attention at getherings with his humour and had a good sense of the ridiculous!
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In later life George lived at West Moors Post Office in Ferndown and he died on 27th March 1998 aged 82 and was cremated on 6th April 1998 at Poole Crematorium.
The Story The medals awarded to George Talbot Hook were acquired direct from the family on e-bay in February 2005. Although no information came with the awards, George’s daughter was very helpful and sent photographs of George, together with his flying log book and brief details of his life. She also enabled contact to be made with the Medals Office to confirm the award of the unnamed World War 2 medals. It hastherefore been possible to build up a biography of this particular Man behind his Medals and hopefully yet more detail will be forthcoming in time.
The Story The medals awarded to George Talbot Hook were acquired direct from the family on e-bay in February 2005. Although no information came with the awards, George’s daughter was very helpful and sent photographs of George, together with his flying log book and brief details of his life. She also enabled contact to be made with the Medals Office to confirm the award of the unnamed World War 2 medals. It hastherefore been possible to build up a biography of this particular Man behind his Medals and hopefully yet more detail will be forthcoming in time.
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- General Service Medal: 744966 CPL. G.T.HOOK. R.A.F.
- Air Efficiency Award: 744966 S.A.C. G.T.HOOK. R.A.F.V.R.
This page last updated 28 Jul 14