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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
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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
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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. The man who murdered Arthur Banks was
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355:(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.
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296:. 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
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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.
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group). During the following months he "became an outstanding figure, advising and encouraging them in action against the enemy".
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320:(Italian fascists) and shot in the head. Initially buried in a communal dung-heap by his captors, Banks is now buried at the
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Banks remained silent. He was then stripped, doused in petrol and set alight before being thrown, weighted down, into the
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who was tortured and killed after being captured behind enemy lines. He was posthumously awarded the
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316:. He managed to survive and swam to the river bank, where he was recaptured by the
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Dr David Jordan, University of
Birmingham Centre for First World War Studies
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232:(6 October 1923 – 20 December 1944) was a member of the
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on 5 November 1946. The Cross was presented to his father by
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Official
Citation for the award of the George Cross to Banks
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Royal Air Force
Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II
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Central
Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects
396:"Profile of Banks on the St Edward's School website"
219:with Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 22 June 1916, aged 20
519:Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II
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460:Llanddulas War Memorial and commemorative stone
95:Plot: III, A, 7, Argenta, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
529:Royal Air Force recipients of the George Cross
504:People educated at St Edward's School, Oxford
292:in 1942 and become a member of 112 Squadron,
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569:Burials at Argenta Gap War Cemetery
559:People executed by Italy by firearm
539:British World War II fighter pilots
268:, was a distinguished pilot in the
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244:for his courage during captivity.
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446:George Cross graves and memorials
290:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
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210:, First World War Ace with the
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16:Recipient of the George Cross
215:Uncle, Arthur Chaplin Banks
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274:Distinguished Flying Cross
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322:Argenta Gap War Cemetery
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549:British torture victims
534:Royal Air Force airmen
433:7 January 2015 at the
288:Banks enlisted in the
142:Years of service
544:People from Abergele
402:on 27 September 2011
272:who was awarded the
327:He was awarded the
74:Ariano nel Polesine
484:CWGC: Arthur Banks
252:Banks was born in
78:Province of Rovigo
351:According to the
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136:Volunteer Reserve
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398:. Archived from
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294:Desert Air Force
256:(a village near
238:Second World War
208:Charles C. Banks
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180:Italian Campaign
175:Second World War
164:No. 112 Squadron
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479:Find a Grave
475:Arthur Banks
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404:. Retrieved
400:the original
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329:George Cross
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318:Brigate Nere
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280:until 1941.
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242:George Cross
227:Arthur Banks
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197:George Cross
171:Battles/wars
69:(1944-12-20)
25:Arthur Banks
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509:1944 deaths
499:1923 births
304:group (the
262:North Wales
236:during the
54:North Wales
493:Categories
406:3 December
359:References
346:Lieutenant
254:Llanddulas
248:Early life
101:Allegiance
46:Llanddulas
225:Sergeant
203:Relations
145:1941-1944
431:Archived
314:River Po
302:partisan
258:Abergele
206:Father,
119:Service/
50:Abergele
306:Boccato
298:Mustang
84:, Italy
188:Awards
166:(1944)
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121:branch
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82:Veneto
58:Wales
408:2012
160:Unit
150:Rank
64:Died
40:Born
477:at
260:in
217:KIA
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230:GC
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