The above photo shows a detail from the much larger statue in memory of this brave young man.
Arthur Aaron VC DFM was a pilot in WW2 who was awarded the VC in recognition of most conspicuous bravery.
On the great many war memorials in the villages, towns and cities of Britain quite a few have an inscription which is a quote from the bible... "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends". John 15,13.
Born in Leeds in 1922, Aaron was a pupil at Roundhay School in the city, later he went on to study architecture in the city.
In March 1941, Aaron became one of 23 cadets who formed the inaugural Flight of Leeds University Air Squadron. Aaron learnt to fly in Texas in the USA at the Number 1 British Flying Training School at Terrell where he received his pilots wings.
Arthur Aaron was captain and pilot of a Stirling bomber of 218 Sqn RAF based a Downham Market in Norfolk when on a raid on Turin on 12/13 August 1943 the aircraft was hit and several crew members were wounded and the navigator, Canadian Cornelius A. Brennan killed. Arthur Aaron was badly wounded and so was the aircraft, but he guided the bomb aimer and enabled him to fly the plane to a base in Algeria.
With a crew of 7, less the navigator Arthur Aaron saved the remaining crew and his aircraft but died of his wounds a few hours after the aicraft landed safely at an airfield in Algeria.
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