George Arklay Ritchie, RAFVR 968282
Sergeant, Flight Engineer

The Search for George Arklay Ritchie

George Arklay Ritchie was George Duncan's best friend. Both were in the RAF Volunteer Reserve when war broke out. In early 1942 they were called up and posted to RAF Scampton. George Ritchie was later posted away in early 1943 and they lost track of each other. When George Duncan died in 2002, it was without knowing what had happened to his best friend. The sadness of this loss stayed with him his whole life. Several years ago his daughter Ruth Bethia and myself started a search to find out what had happened to George Ritchie. It took us many years to unravel.

The following information is a record of our path and our research to successfully find George Arklay Ritchie.

The Search

Postscript

When George Duncan died in 2002, it was without knowing what had happened to his best friend. The sadness of this loss stayed with him his whole life. Several years ago his daughter Ruth Bethia and myself started a search to find out what had happened to George Ritchie. It took us many years to unravel. We could only find one G.A. Ritchie, Sergeant Flight Engineer 968282 who was listed as being with the RCAF 427 Lion Squadron based at Croft and then Leeming. Incorrectly, we had assumed that he was at Scampton. But we kept on looking and finally the answers began to find us.

George Ritchie had applied for Flight Engineer Training and was posted to Torquay in Devon in May 1943, and upon passing out he was posted to RCAF 427 Lion Squadron at RAF Leeming. Tragically, in a raid on Frankfurt, March 18/19th 1944, ZL-Z "Zebra " was shot down. George Ritchie lost his life as well as fellow crew members, A.H. Mildon, R.E. Heare, R.A. Dumas and R.C. Gallaugher. It being war time George Duncan did not know this.

We were at the Belgian Grand Prix in 2005 and decided to drive to the massive was cemetery in Choloy to see if we could identify him. We did!. He was in collective grave 1.J.2 with four other crew members of Halifax IIIB ZL-Zebra. But we did not know who he was and so searched for a photograph. On Friday 9th September 2005 we were able to make the first of our journeys to pay our respects. George lies in collective grave, (1.J.2), with four other crew members of Halifax IIIB ZL-"Zebra". He was clearly inscribed as RAF.

We have visited him many times over the years. The latest visits on June 10th and 15th, 2025 we laid photographs of Dundee and Broughty Ferry where both George Ritchie and George Duncan were from. During all this time we had kept searching for the elusive photographic evidence, then on the 27th July the day of the Belgian Grand Prix in 2025 we located a passing out photo of B Flight No3 Squadron No.21 L.T.W dated August 1943. There, on the 3rd row 5th from the right is George Arklay Ritchie.

On the same raid that 427 Squadron lost ZL-Z "Zebra", ZL-G "George" was also lost and the pilot, Flying Officer Thomas Wilson Cooper J/23519 of Ontario lost his life holding the crippled plane steady until all the rest of the crew managed to evacuate. We were able to locate Flying Officer Thomas Wilson Cooper J/23519 to Rheinberg Cemetery near Kamp Lintfort, Wesel, Germany where he is laid to rest in (grave 8.D.16). In 2025 we laid flowers for him and paid our respects. With ZL-Z "Zebra" being shot down near Trier, and ZL-G "George" near Hillesheim, the crews remains' were relocated from local cemeteries after the war.

Our first visit to Choloy-Ménilot in 2005 showed us where George Ritchie was buried, but what it did not tell us was what happened to him. But now we know, we can see him, he becomes part of our family and we remember him. Although we are unable to tell George Duncan what became of his friend, we are now able to impart the story of George Arklay Ritchie and also that of Thomas Wilson Cooper to others, who like us, are searching for pieces of a vast puzzle, where the ultimate sacrifice was made and where hopefully, one day, all stories will be told and no graves will remain anonymous.

We will continue to visit and remember them. They should never be forgotten.

Ruth Bethia Duncan & Leslie Johnstone September 1st, 2025.