Arthur Banks

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Sergeant Arthur Banks GC (October 6, 1923 – December 20, 1944) was a member of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War who was tortured and killed after being captured behind enemy lines.

Banks was born in Llanddulas (a village near Abergele in North Wales). His father, Captain Charles Banks, was a distinguished pilot in the First World War who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his wartime service.[1] Banks attended St Edward's School, Oxford until 1941.[2] He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1942 and become a member of 112 Squadron, Desert Air Force. On August 29, 1944, three weeks into his active service with 112 Squadron, he was shot down over Northern Italy whilst undertaking an armed reconnaissance operation in a Mustang.[2] He tried to reach the Allied lines and made contact with a partisans group (the Boccato group). During the following months he "became an outstanding figure, advising and encouraging them in action against the enemy".[3]. In December 1944, an attempt to cross to Allied territory was planned to enable resupplying of the partisans to take place, but the group he was with was betrayed and captured by German forces.[2] He was tortured by German authorities and then by the Italian Militia over a period of several days, but Banks remained silent.[2] He was then stripped, doused in petrol and set alight before being thrown, weighted down, into the River Po. He managed to survive this and swam to the river bank, where he was recaptured and shot in the head.[3] Initially buried in a communal dung-heap by his captors,[2] Banks is now buried at the Argenta Gap War Cemetery.[4] There is also a commemoration stone for Banks at the War Memorial in Llanddulas.[5]

He was awarded the George Cross posthumously for his "courage and endurance", with his conduct being described as "at all times, in keeping with the highest traditions of the Service, even in the face of most brutal and inhuman treatment."[3]. Notice of the award was published in the London Gazette on 5 November 1946.[3] The Cross was presented to his father by King George VI.[5]

His captors were tried by a War Crimes Tribunal and were imprisoned for between 4.5 and 20 years; the one who directed his torture was shot after being captured by Italians.[1]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Dr David Jordan, University of Birmingham Centre for First World War Studies
  2. ^ a b c d e Profile of Banks on the St Edward's School website
  3. ^ a b c d Official Citation for the award of the George Cross to Banks
  4. ^ George Cross graves and memorials
  5. ^ a b Llanddulas War Memorial and commemorative stone