| Arthur Louis Aaron | |
|---|---|
A Short Stirling bomber of the type flown by Aaron |
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| Born | 5 March 1922 Leeds, England |
| Died | 13 August 1943 (aged 21) Bone Hospital, Algeria |
| Buried at | Annaba, Algeria |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1941 - 1943 |
| Rank | Flight Sergeant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Victoria Cross Distinguished Flying Medal |
Arthur Louis Aaron VC DFM (5 March 1922 – 13 August 1943) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Aaron was a native of Leeds, Yorkshire, and was educated at Roundhay School and Leeds School of Architecture when the war began. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force, and trained as a pilot in Texas. Returning to England, he joined No. 218 "Gold Coast" Squadron, flying the Short Stirling. He had flown 90 operational flying hours and 19 sorties, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal.
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He was 21 years old, and an acting flight sergeant in No. 218 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, flying Short Stirling heavy bomber serial number EF452, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 12 August 1943 during a raid on Turin, Italy, Flight Sergeant Aaron's bomber was hit by gunfire ( possibly from a night fighter, but may have been friendly fire from another Stirling[1] ). The Stirling was very badly damaged; Three engines were hit, the windscreen shattered, the front and rear turrets put out of action and the elevator control damaged, causing the aircraft to become unstable and difficult to control. The navigator, Canadian Cornelius A. Brennan was killed, other members of the crew were wounded, and Flight Sergeant Aaron's jaw was broken and part of his face was torn away. He had also been hit in the lung and his right arm was useless. Despite his terrible injuries he managed to level the aircraft out at 3,000 ft. Unable to speak, Flight Sergeant Aaron urged the bomb aimer with gestures to take over the controls. The crippled bomber made for the nearest Allied bases in North Africa.
Aaron was then assisted to the rear of the aircraft and given morphia. After resting he insisted on returning to the cockpit where he was lifted back into his seat where he made a determined effort to take control and fly the aircraft although his weakness was evident and he was eventually persuaded to desist. In great pain and suffering from exhaustion he continued to help by writing directions with his left hand.
Five hours after leaving the target fuel was now low, but Bone airfield was sighted. Flight Sergeant Aaron summoned his failing strength to successfully direct the bomb-aimer in belly-landing the damaged aircraft in the darkness.
He died nine hours after the aircraft touched down.
He was an 'old boy' of Roundhay School, Leeds (headmaster at the time was B.A.Farrow). There is a plaque in the main hall of the school to his memory incorporating the deed that merited the VC. (Genealogical research proved many years ago that Aaron's father was a Russian Jewish immigrant even though the family denied it after Aaron was killed, and he boasted of this to members of his air training colleagues in the mess in Texas on many occasions; see material in "We Will Remember Them" by Henry Morris and Martin Sugarman, published by Valentine Mitchell, 2011). He is commemorated at the AJEX Jewish Military Museum in Hendon, London, one of three Jewish VC's of WW2 - the others being Tommy Gould, RN and John Keneally, Irish Guards - real name John Leslie). Aaron also belonged at school or University to 319 ATC (Jewish) Squadron in Broughton, Manchester, where his photograph still hangs; this fact was researched by Col Martin Newman DL from the HQ Air Cadets archives. Aaron's Victoria Cross is displayed at the Leeds City Museum.
To mark the new Millennium, the Leeds Civic Trust organised a public vote to choose a statue to mark the occasion, and to publicise the city's past heroes and heroines. Candidates included Benjamin Latrobe and Sir Henry Moore. Arthur Aaron won the vote, with Don Revie beating Joshua Tetley and Frankie Vaughan as runner-up. Located on a roundabout on the northern edge of the city centre, close to the West Yorkshire Playhouse, the statue of Aaron was unveiled on 24 March 2001 by Malcolm Mitchem, the last survivor of the aircraft. The five-metre bronze sculpture by Graham Ibbeson takes the form of Aaron standing next to a tree, up which are climbing three children progressively representing the passage of time between 1950 and 2000, with the last a girl releasing a dove of peace, all representing the freedom his sacrifice helped ensure.[2] There is much controversy about the poor and inappropriate siting of this statue (early 2008) and there are moves afoot to transfer it to Millennium Square outside Leeds City Museum.