McEwan, George Clapperton (1899 - 1918)

Lieutenant, Royal Air Force

Buried at Noyon New British Cemetery

Commemorated at Hillhead High School

Lieutenant George C. McEwan was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. George A. McEwan. He was educated at Hillhead High School and Glasgow High School. He was as keen on his lessons as on sport, and in both he took a foremost place. Rugby, tennis, and golf all attracted him in their season, but like so many more of our boys he took an active interest in the Boy Scout movement.

On leaving School he entered the offices of James Finlay & Co., East India merchants. When war was declared, being still under age, he joined the City Volunteers, first in the infantry and later in the mounted corps. As soon as he was eighteen years of age he joined the Royal Flying Corps as a cadet, training at Aldershot, Turnberry, and Montrose. He received. his pilot's certificate in July, 1917, and after six months' flying and instruction in this country, he left for France. There he saw much service and had many exciting experiences.

In May, 1918, he came home on leave, and soon after returning to France he was posted missing, but no definite details of his fate have
ever been received. His flight commander reports that while on a bombing expedition with four others they were attacked far behind the enemy lines by forty-five Hun machines. For eighteen miles they kept up a running fight with the enemy, but before they reached their own lines Lieutenant McEwan's machine fell out of the formation, and was seen to turn half over on its back, apparently from engine
trouble.

The sorely tired survivors were too hard pressed to follow its after fate but presumably it crashed, killing both pilot and observer. His captain writes-"Your son was a great favourite with us all, and much admired as a pilot. He had done some really good work since joining us, and I am quite sure he would have gone far had he been spared."