Life Histories - celebrating our war hero Arthur
As we reflect on the incredible life histories of our residents, we meet 104-year-old Arthur, shining a light on the story of his miraculous survival.
In his bedroom at Beach Lawns Residential and Nursing Home in Weston-super-Mare, Arthur has an abundance of newspaper cuttings and even a book featuring his ill-fated mission – and the team at the care home love to hear all about his amazing experiences.
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Joining pilot Tony Adams as navigator on a Torpedo Aircraft on 20 July 1944, they were briefed to attack shipping off the coast of Norway. On their return, 40 miles from shore, there was a terrible noise and the engine ripped from its mounting. The plane flipped over and dived into the sea at over 300 miles per hour.
Arthur recalls: “Tony said ‘I can’t hold it any more’ and a few moments later it turned over. As we fell, I knew we should both be dead within a few seconds. It went bang – straight down and disintegrated and Tony was killed on impact.”
A nearby fishing trawler spotted the crash - one of the fishermen tied a rope around his waist, diving into the water to rescue Arthur.
The trawler made its way through a minefield, Arthur was in a terrible state.
He says: “My leg was flopping about and my head was nearly scalped. Naval doctors came to see me, took one look at my leg and said ‘that will need to come off’. Someone else said ‘you can’t do that, he’s air force property’.”
Thankfully they saved his leg and after seven months in hospital he returned home to wife Rachel. The couple went on to have three children, Sheila, John and Peter.
Arthur’s story is even more incredible because he should never have boarded the plane – he was hit by a tram as a teenager and because of this back injury, was turned down for military service. Arthur fought this decision, persuading a doctor to write a note that eventually got him enlisted.
Arthur said of his war days that there was “no time” to be scared but recalls: “You would be sitting with someone chatting away, walk out to your separate planes, and the next thing you know they would be going down in flames.”
Speaking about his miraculous survival and longevity he simply said: “It seems interesting to be alive!”
For more about life at Beach Lawns or any of our other care homes, please call our Enquiry Support Team advisors on 0800 917 0478.
