Tributes to Sutton Coldfield war hero who has passed away aged 99

The funeral of Arthur Woolf, an RAF veteran, took place at Sutton Coldfield Crematorium last Thursday, having died on April 7.

John Longhorne, chairman of the Sutton Coldfield branch of the National Service (RAF) Association, described Arthur as a 'great man'.

He added: "When he joined our group, he was a regular at meetings.

"As he lived on his own, when his beloved wife Sheila passed away, it could be lonely so the group was a lifeline for him."

Arthur's Lancaster bomber was shot down in 1944 on his 16th mission near the French-German border during a raid on Stuttgart.

John added: "Arthur was badly wounded and burned but managed to scramble out of the aircraft and parachute to land in a field.

"Though unable to move he was picked up by a French farming family and taken to safety.

"The Germans searched the area and found him, taking him to a field hospital.

"Following the D-Day Landings, the Germans fled the area leaving Arthur behind as he was too badly injured for them to take with them.

"The oncoming Allies found him and he was sent back to the UK where he was treated by the renowned burns surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe at East Grinstead Hospital.

"The patients there became known as the Guinea Pig Club in view of the innovative surgery involved.

"Many years after the war Arthur returned to France to meet up with and thank the French family that had taken him in."

Close friend Tony Burrows, also a member of the National Service (RAF) Association, added: "Arthur was an exceptional man and a real hero.

"I will miss him greatly.

"He was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government and I had the pleasure of taking him to his old aifield, which is now the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Museum.

"He was treated like a local hero there. They thought he was marvellous.

"He wanted to reach 100 and it's sad he didn't but he chose instead to be back with his beloved Sheila."