George Holden

Wing Commander George Walton Holden, (1913 – 16 September 1943) was a British aviator and a pilot in RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War. He was briefly commander of No. 617 Squadron RAF—"The Dam Busters"—before his death. Biography Born in 1913 in Oldham, he was the son of Frederick Charles Holden and Beatrice Holden. He was educated at Ashburton Grammar School, and enlisted in the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1934. Commissioned in 1941 with the service number 103484, Holden served with No. 102 Squadron RAF. He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on 2 September 1941 while with No. 35 Squadron RAF and a Bar to his DFC on 12 February 1943. A Distinguished Service Order followed on 11 June 1943.