>>513238790
>Britain's last surviving World War Two Victoria Cross recipient, John Cruickshank, has died aged 105.
>The flight lieutenant, from Aberdeen, earned the honour for an attack on a German U-Boat while piloting a Catalina flying boat in June 1944.
>He was the last to die of 181 people who received the country's highest military honour for their actions in the conflict.
>Flt Lt Cruickshank's family said he died last week and a funeral would be held in private.
>The veteran was badly injured in the attack on 17 June 1944 while protecting British vessels in the Norwegian Sea.
>In total, he suffered 72 injuries, including two wounds to his lungs and 10 to his lower limbs.
>On his return to base at Sullom Voe in Shetland he had to be given a blood transfusion before he even left the aircraft.
>The crew had spotted the U-boat ahead of them and went on the offensive with a bombing run during heavy gunfire.
>However, their bombs did not release, forcing Flt Lt Cruickshank to turn the aircraft around and attack again.
>On that occasion, he released the bombs himself, successfully destroying the submarine.
>Navigator John Dickson was killed while his co-pilot and two others members of the crew were seriously injured.
>He never returned to operational flying and left the RAF in 1946 for a career in banking.
>He was awarded the Victoria Cross – the highest recognition for valour that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces – on 29 August, 1944.
>He had lived alone for over 40 years since his wife died and every year traveled to the Shetland Islands to lay a wreath at the grave of his navigator John Dickson.
What a tough man. RIP.