Horace James Cannon

Horace Cannon GC (1895–1975) Cannon joined the 16th Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment in 1915. Cannon then volunteered to join the Royal Flying Corps, was accepted, and became an aircraft mechanic in France and later in England.

Promoted to flight sergeant, he was billeted at RFC Station Grantham in Lincolnshire (renamed RAF Spitalgate in 1942) on 21 January 1918, when a warplane crash-landed from a height of about one hundred and fifty feet and then burst into flames Cannon and another flight sergeant risked their lives to rescue the pilot, who later died from his injuries. Cannon was honoured for his efforts and was awarded the George Cross for gallantry.

Cannon was born in Bradford. After Cannon retired from the RAF he opened a car dealership and repair shop in the city.