George Morley Fidler was born in 1912 in North Yorkshire. On leaving school, he joined the family building and property business, However, because of his growing interest in aeroplanes, he joined the RAF in 1934. He was posted to Egypt where he began flying training. He was awarded his wings in 1936 and joined 45 Sqn based in Cairo. He returned to the UK in 1938, was promoted to Flight Lieutenant, and was posted, again with 45 Squadron, to RAF Louth in Lincolnshire,
Shortly after the outbreak of war in 1939, the Squadron, with its Tiger Moth aircraft, was deployed to northern France to support the British Expeditionary Force.
In February 1940, Fidler was transferred to 607 (County of Durham) Squadron which was also in Northern France and was converting from the Tiger Moth to the Hurricane. The Squadron operated from grass strips and achieved early battle successes downing 18 enemy aircraft for the loss of only 3 of its own. At this time, the Squadron’s Commanding Officer was killed, and he was replaced by Fidler who was promoted to acting Squadron Leader.
On 19 May 1940, a 607 Squadron Hurricane, believed to have been flown by Fidler was badly damaged by enemy aircraft, and the pilot was seen to bail out. For whatever reason, his parachute didn’t open, and he fell to his death. A year later, his body was recovered by local villagers and was buried in a nearby cemetery. Fidler’s parents were informed and, in their minds, their son was dead and had been buried.
In 2006, a Franco / Belgian team of archaeologists excavating the site of the crash found the aircraft. Its marking showed it to be from 87 Squadron, also stationed in northern France. It was further established that the pilot was a Flying Office Strickland. This then begged the question as to where was Fidler’s aircraft?
Subsequent research by a local historian indicated that it had crashed some 20 miles. distant. However, it was considered that the evidence was too scant to warrant further investigation. Fortuitously, in 2022, some 16 years later, the site was excavated as part of a scheme to extend a nearby canal. During the work, a crashed Hurricane was discovered. It was evident that the aircraft had nose-dived at high speed into the ground with the pilot still seated in the cockpit. The aircraft’s markings confirmed that it had belonged to 607 Squadron, and a yellow star on the tail indicated that it had been flown by a Squadron Leader. There was thus a strong likelihood that George Fidler was the pilot.
Under normal circumstances, DNA testing would have confirmed the pilot’s identity. Unfortunately, no living relative of Filder could be found to validate the hypothesis. However, extensive research over the next 4 years into the identities of all the other pilots killed at that time in France proved beyond doubt that Filder was indeed the pilot.
On 19 May 2026 – exactly 86 years to the day since his aircraft crashed – Squadron Leader George Filder’s remains were laid to rest in a moving ceremony at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s London Cemetery in Langueval, northern France.
RTWM