Sergeant Arthur Banks GC (6 October 1923 – 20 December 1944) was a member of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

who was tortured and killed after being captured behind enemy lines. He was posthumously awarded the

George Cross The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been ...

for his courage during captivity.

Early life

Banks was born in

Llanddulas Llanddulas is a village in Conwy county borough, Wales, midway between Old Colwyn and Abergele and next to the North Wales Expressway in the community of Llanddulas and Rhyd-y-Foel. The village lies beneath the limestone hill of Cefn-yr-Og ...

(a village near

Abergele Abergele (; ; ) is a market town and community, situated on the north coast of Wales between the holiday resorts of Colwyn Bay and Rhyl, in Conwy County Borough and in the historic county of Denbighshire. Its northern suburb of Pensarn lies on ...

North Wales , area_land_km2 = 6,172 , postal_code_type = Postcode , postal_code = LL, CH, SY , image_map1 = Wales North Wales locator map.svg , map_caption1 = Six principal areas of Wales common ...

). His father, Captain Charles Banks, was a distinguished pilot in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his wartime service. Banks attended St Edward's School, Oxford until 1941.

Military career

Banks enlisted in the

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) was established in 1936 to support the preparedness of the U.K. Royal Air Force in the event of another war. The Air Ministry intended it to form a supplement to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF ...

in 1942 and become a member of 112 Squadron, Desert Air Force. On 29 August 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 The mustang is a free-roaming horse of the Western United States, descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but because they are descended from once-domesticated animals, they ...

. He tried to reach the Allied lines and made contact with a

partisan Partisan may refer to: Military * Partisan (weapon), a pole weapon * Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line Films * ''Partisan'' (film), a 2015 Australian film * ''Hell River'', a 1974 Yugoslavian film also know ...

group (the Boccato group). During the following months he "became an outstanding figure, advising and encouraging them in action against the enemy".Official Citation for the award of the George Cross to Banks
In December 1944, an attempt to cross to Allied territory was planned to enable resupplying of the partisans to take place, but the group Banks was with was betrayed and captured by German forces. He was tortured by German authorities and then by the Italian militia over a period of several days, but Banks remained silent. He was then stripped, doused in petrol and set alight before being thrown, weighted down, into the

River Po The Po ( , ; la, Padus or ; Ancient Ligurian: or ) is the longest river in Italy. It flows eastward across northern Italy starting from the Cottian Alps. The river's length is either or , if the Maira, a right bank tributary, is included. Th ...

. He managed to survive and swam to the river bank, where he was recaptured by the

Brigate Nere The ''Corpo Ausiliario delle Squadre d'azione di Camicie Nere'' (Italian: Auxiliary Corps of the Black Shirts' Action Squads), most widely known as the Black Brigades ( it, Brigate Nere), was one of the Fascist paramilitary groups, organized a ...

(Italian fascists) and shot in the head. Initially buried in a communal dung-heap by his captors, Banks is now buried at the

Argenta Gap War Cemetery The Argenta War Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission and is found in the Commune of Argenta, Ferrara, Italy. The town of Argenta is located two kilometres south. The cemetery holds many soldiers killed in the battles of Argenta Gap ...

.George Cross graves and memorials
/ref> There is also a commemoration stone for Banks at the War Memorial in Llanddulas. He was awarded the

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.". Notice of the award was published in the

London Gazette London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

on 5 November 1946. The Cross was presented to his father by

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...

.Llanddulas War Memorial and commemorative stone
/ref> 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.
/ref> The man who murdered Arthur Banks was

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

Turati. Turati had been a member of the infamous Brigate Nere. Postwar, Captain Ian Bell of the War Crimes Investigation Unit, captured Turati at his home in Italy. According to the

Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects The Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects, more commonly known as CROWCASS, was an organisation set up to assist the United Nations War Crimes Commission and Allied governments in tracing ex-enemy nationals suspected of committing ...

(CROWCASS) other Italians, most of them members of the fascist Black Brigades, may have been involved in crimes against British soldiers, at the same time and in the same area.

References

External links

*
CWGC: Arthur Banks
{{DEFAULTSORT:Banks, Arthur 1923 births People educated at St Edward's School, Oxford 1944 deaths Royal Air Force pilots of World War II Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II British recipients of the George Cross Royal Air Force recipients of the George Cross Royal Air Force airmen British World War II fighter pilots People from Abergele British torture victims Deaths by firearm in Italy People executed by Italy by firearm Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II Burials at Argenta Gap War Cemetery