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Wartime Heritage
ASSOCIATION
Remembering World War II
Yarmouth Connections
Name:
George Neil Rattee
Rank:
Flying Officer
Service No:
J/13765
Regiment/Service:
Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank:
(Navigator) 306 FTU RAF
Date of Birth:
November 6, 1922
Place of Birth:
New Amsterdam, British Guyana
Date of Enlistment:
September 6, 1941
Place of Enlistment:
RCAF Recruiting Centre, Halifax, NS
Address At Enlistment:
Yarmouth, NS
Age at Enlistment:
18
Height: 6 feet
Weight: 167lbs.
Complexion: Fair
Eyes:
Blue
Hair: Light Brown
Trade:
Student
Marital Status:
Single
Religion:
Presbyterian
Next of Kin:
Rev. Neil MacLean Rattee (Father) Yarmouth, NS
Date of Death:
August 23, 1943
Age at Death:
20
Memorial:
Runneymede Memorial (Surrey, England)
Memorial Reference:
Panel 174.
The 94th name on the WWII list of the Yarmouth War Memorial
(Listed as G. Neil on the Yarmouth War Memorial)
Commemorated on page 206 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance
Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 26
George was the son of the Rev. Neil M. Rattee, B.A., and Frances Elizabeth Rattee. In August, 1925 the
family returned to Canada from British Guiana. Rev. Rattee was born in Noel, Nova Scotia and Frances
was born in New Richmond, New Brunswick. The family lived in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia when George
enlisted and was living in Westville, Nova Scotia when George was killed in 1943. George was the brother
of Eleanor, born 1927 and Edward, born in 1929.
George attended the Yarmouth Academy between 1937 and 1939 and Queen’s University between 1939
and 1940. He was employed between May and September, 1940 and between April and his enlistment in
1941 with the Department of National Defence at the Yarmouth Airport as a chainman, [surveyor's
assistant].
He completed Initial Training at Toronto, Ontario from December 22, 1941 to February 14, 1942, an Air
Observer’s Course at Portage La Prairie from February 16, 1942 to May 5, 1942, Armament Training at
MacDonald, Manitoba from May 25, 1942 to July 4, 1942, Advanced Air Observer’s Training, Rivers,
Manitoba and Navigation Reconnaissance Course, at Charlottetown from August 31, 1942 to September,
16, 1942.
He disembarked in the United Kingdom on January 7, 1943 and was assigned to 306 Unit on July 7, 1943.
No 306 Ferry Training Unit formed at RAF Templeton in January 1943 training Bristol Beauforts crews in
long distance flying and to ferry new Bristol Beauforts to RAF stations across the world. The unit was
transferred to RAF Maghaberry, County Antrim, Northern Ireland between June 15 and October 15, 1943.
Flying Officer, George Neil Rattee was listed as missing on August 23, 1943 when his aircraft, Beaufort 1
JM.499, departed Portsmouth, England, for Gibraltar, on August 23rd, 1943. The crew consisted of A.S.
McPherson (Pilot), G.N. Rattee (Navigator0, R. G. Needham (Sergeant), and J.L. Perkins (Flight Sergeant).
Despite search efforts over land and sea no trace of the plane was discovered.
Sources and Information:
Veterans Affairs Canada
George Neil Rattee
Runneymede Memorial