South Yorkshire Times, July 10, 1943
Conanby Fitter Flew Plane
Story of Crete Escape Brought to Light
It was in Crete once, a relatively long time ago when the island was being evacuated by British forces in the face of overwhelming pressure from German invasion troops, that the amazing act of a man, who though not even a member of a flying crew, clambered into the cockpit of a land-based plane, took off and got himself and the plane safely to Egypt.
The hero of this exploit was a Conanby man, George Arthur Logan. Two weeks ago he was killed in a cycling accident in South Wales when he was struck by an R.A.F. lorry, and with his death was revealed this story which hitherto had been recounted only to those within his immediate family circle.
As a Leading Air Fitter in the Fleet Air Arm since 1939, Logan was able to assemble and service any type of plane then used by that Service. Most of the time he was in an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean and what knowledge he had of flying at all must have been gained on his frequent trips in amphibious planes between carrier and desert stations, but he was totally unfamiliar with the type of plane in which he escaped.
At the time of his landing in Egypt, Leading Air Fitter Logan wrote to his mother, Mrs. Fletcher, 2 Leslie Crescent, Conanby: “I got myself and the plane away. I had never flown a land plane before, but after I got it off the ground I found out how.”
By taking the chance he snatched the only opportunity he had of getting away. It was a desperate chance but it came off.
Nor was this his only claim to fame, for in cycling up and down the country the name of G. A. Logan is mentioned whenever talk turns to outstanding road and track performances of pre-war days. His prowess gained him the title of virtual Best-All-Rounder in 1939 and a place in the Raleigh team of record breakers. He left a reserved occupation at the outbreak of war to join up because in the words of his mother “he wanted to do his bit, and was just happy when he was with planes.”
A sudden end came to his Service career when last year he was injured in crash landing in the desert near El Alamein, and in March this year, after being in hospital in South Africa and England he was invalidated out.
The next best thing to servicing planes he thought was building them and he got a job in an aircraft factory. On his last shift he worked from 5:30 in the morning to 7:30 at night. Whilst riding to work next day he was struck by the overhanging box of an R.A.F. lorry and was killed, the woman driver of the vehicle stating at the inquest that she did not see Logan until he was a yard away. The verdict was “Accidental Death.”
Leading Stoker Harold Logan his brother, is serving with submarines, leaving H.M.S. Hood shortly before she was sunk, to do so. One sister Nora, is manager of a N.A.A.F.I. canteen, and another, Celia, was invalidated out of the Service three years ago.