G. SQUIRES 1896-1918

 

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES via email from Margaret Morrell, 3-19-05 Hi there,      I came accross your early aviators website and found your ref to G.Squires.      I have been researching the history of Turnberry airfield for the last few years and have a G.Squires on my casualty list for WWI.      He was killed on the 18 May 1918 when the Sopwith Camel, (B9218), he was flying, stalled on a turn at 100ft and crashed south of the village of Kirkoswald. (just in front of my house)      He is buried at Girvan in Ayrshire and I have a photograph of his memorial headstone if you would like it. It is not the usual Commonwealth War Grave, but a rather large, ornate headstone.      I hope we are talking about the same man, here are the details I have for him: 2nd Lieut. George Squires Aviation Corps United States Army of St.Paul, Minnesota, USA who died aged 22.      Turnberry was a School of Aerial Fighting and Gunnery during WWI and there were some 39+ casualties. Among them four American airmen, Cadet G.A.Braden, Lieut. R.B.Reed, 2nd Lieut.H.R.Smith and George Squires.      I hope this is of some interest to you. Regards from Scotland Margaret

 

ONLINE RESOURCES      If you search for "G. Squires +aviation", using the Google search engine, (5-21-04), you will find 25 links, but only one of them appears to be relevant.

 

TURNBERRY WAR MEMORIAL      This page features a picture of the memorial and a statement as to its purpose.        A double Celtic Cross erected by the people of Kirkoswald Parish in 1923 to honour those airmen stationed at Turnberry Air Field who died during the First World War.        In addition to a list of the aviators who died while in training at the Turnberry Airfield, which includes the name of G. Squires, you will find links to other related sites. Of special interest is the one to "Turnberry Airfield." It offers a history of the airfield, including the period during World War I, and a number of photographs. I am not sure that the "G. Squires" named on the monument is the same one we are discussing, but I think he is. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.

 

STEPHEN H. DORR - NUTLEY SONS HONOR ROLL      This page, while not revealed by the Google search, does mention G. Squires and his role in the story of Stephen H. Dorr, Jr. It is revealed that it was a midair collision with the plane flown by Squires that caused Dorr to crash and die. You can access the page by clicking on the title above.

 

He was killed on the 18 May 1918 when the Sopwith Camel, (B9218), he was flying, stalled on a turn at 100ft and crashed south of the village of Kirkoswald. (just in front of my house) Personal communication from Margaret Morrell, 3-19-05   Editor's Note: If you have any more information on this Early Bird, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper   Back