Arthur Louis Aaron

Flight Sergeant · 1458181 · United Kingdom

Died: 14 August 1943, aged 21
Fate: Killed in action

Biography

Flight Sergeant Arthur Louis Aaron, VC, DFM, won the Victoria Cross for an act of extraordinary endurance over the Mediterranean in 1943. He was born in Leeds on 5 March 1922 and educated at Roundhay School and the Leeds School of Architecture, joining the Air Training Corps before the war and qualifying as a pilot in the United States. He was posted to No. 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron, flying Short Stirling heavy bombers, and had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal before his final operation.

On the night of 12/13 August 1943, returning over the target on a raid against Turin, Aaron’s Stirling was raked by fire that killed the navigator and left Aaron himself gravely wounded — his jaw was shattered, a lung was pierced and one arm was useless. Unable to speak, he continued to help his crew by gesture and written notes, and insisted on being brought back to the cockpit to assist the landing. After a flight of several hours the aircraft reached Bone in North Africa, where, on Aaron’s guidance, it was put down at the fifth attempt. He died of exhaustion and his wounds a few hours later, aged 21, and was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. He is buried in Bone War Cemetery, Annaba, Algeria.

Burial / commemoration

Cemetery: Bone War Cemetery, Annaba, Algeria

Operations on this date. One raid in this archive was flown on the night of 14 August 1943: Milan. (Cross-reference by date — not in itself confirmation this airman flew it.)

189 others in this archive died on 14 August →

Timeline

April 1943 Joined No. 218 Squadron (Gold Coast)
Acting Flight Sergeant, at RAF Downham Market
12 August 1943 Flew Operation
Pilot, EF452 HA-O — Crashed on return
14 August 1943 Left No. 218 Squadron (Gold Coast)
14 August 1943 Died
aged 21
15 October 1943 Gazetted: DFM
Distinguished Flying Medal
2 November 1943 Gazetted: VC
Victoria Cross

Crew & operations

Flew as Pilot .

Operation (12 August 1943) — aircraft EF452 HA-O (Short Stirling) — Crashed on return

Service

Acting Flight Sergeant, No. 218 Squadron (Gold Coast) based at RAF Downham Market (April 1943 – 14 August 1943)
Posted to 218 Squadron in spring 1943. Killed on return from Turin raid, 14 Aug 1943.

Awards

Victoria Cross (VC) — gazetted 2 November 1943

1458181 Acting Flight Sergeant Arthur Louis AARON, D.F.M., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 218 Squadron (deceased). On the night of I2th August, 1943, Flight Sergeant Aaron was captain and pilot of a Stirling aircraft detailed to attack Turin. When approaching to attack, the bomberreceived devastating bursts of fire from anenemy fighter. Three engines were hit, thewindscreen shattered, the front and rearturrets put out of action and the elevatorcontrol damaged, causing. the aircraft tobecome unstable and difficult to control. Thenavigator was killed and other members ofthe crew were wounded.
Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) — gazetted 15 October 1943

1458181 Acting Flight Sergeant Arthur Louis AARON,Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 218Squadron (since deceased).