One of the most published photographs of aircrew in the Battle of Britain shows a group of Hurricane pilots of No 501 Squadron at Hawkinge on 15 August 1940. Among the group enjoying a joke was Flight Lieutenant George Stoney. Three days later he was killed in action.
Stoney was born in Dublin in 1911 and joined the RAF on a short service commission in August 1929. He served as an instructor on No 502 (Special Reserve) Squadron and then went to No 4 (Army Co-operation). He joined Class ‘A’ of the RAFO in July 1934 and was recalled at the outbreak of war. He was posted to RAF College FTS, Cranwell, for flying duties.
He went to No 214 Squadron at Methwold on 20 November 1939, to fly Wellingtons, and moved to No 99 Squadron at Newmarket on 6 December 1939.
Stoney joined No 501 Squadron at Gravesend from 6 OTU, Sutton Bridge on 28 July 1940, as ‘A’ Flight Commander. He shared in the destruction of a Ju 87 and damaged another on the 29th, damaged a Bf 110 on 12 August and destroyed two Ju 87s and probably another on the 15th, the day the photograph was taken.
On the 18th, he was shot down by Hauptmann Fözö, who, later in the Battle, would account for Sergeant Lloyd of No 41 Squadron (See entry for 7 June). George Stoney’s Hurricane, P 2549, crashed near Stile Farm, Chilham, south west of Canterbury. He was 29 and is buried in St Helen’s churchyard, Sefton, Lancashire (now Merseyside).
