Born in Montreal, Quebec, Gerald Gordon Symons grew up in the small residential town of Dixie with his two brothers John and Randy, who also became Royal Canadian Air Force pilots. Year-round sports made the author a very active competitor—strong, well co-ordinated just what was needed to fly and react in air combat. Gordon joined the RCAF in 1941 and graduated as a Sergeant-Pilot. Soon sent overseas he travelled to Britain on the famous Queen Elizabeth. He landed in Scotland in February of 1942 and immediately was sent by train to Bournemouth on the south coast of England, where most RCAF aircrew were introduced to their new wartime life in Britain. After a successful career as a pilot in WW II, he attended university at Sir George Williams, Montreal and entered the field of finance. A decade later, in 1964, he formed G. Gordon Symons Co. Ltd., predecessor to Symons International Group Ltd., a public holding company specializing in insurance. G. Gordon Symons is a member of many charitable boards, and is an avid golfer, painter and writer. He holds the title: Lord of Whitehouses, Nottinghamshire, UK.