George Wilden

Name	George Wilden
Corps	Royal Air Force 23rd Wing transferred to (543587) 477TH Agricultural Company Labour Corps
Rank	Air mechanic 3rd class 81092 3rd Wing
Date of death	13 February 1919
Memorial/Grave	Clophill St Mary Church

George was the older brother of John Wilden. Born in Clophill, his name appears on Wilbarston Roll of Honour so he must have lived there between 1911 and his death. He married Amy Bitten in 1916 but had no known children. He was buried on 13 February 1919 in Clophill churchyard and is also commemorated on the Clophill Roll of Honour. According to the War Graves Photographic Project he died of pneumonia.

The rank of Air Mechanic 3rd Class existed between 6th September 1916 and 2nd January 1919. It was applied to all RFC/RAF recruits who failed to pass the trade test to be an Air Mechanic 2nd Class at the time of their enlistment or were otherwise working towards their A Mech 2 trade test. Air Mechanics of all classes were employed in all of the technical trades within the RFC/RAF.

The date of and reasons for his transfer to the Labour Corps are not known. As an air mechanic he is likely to have been wounded in the line of duty, though not necessarily in combat – accidents when working on aircraft and ordnance were common.