Sir Arnold Waters VC (23rd September 1886 to 22nd January 1981)

I’ve visited the resting places of lots Victoria Cross medal recipients but I can’t think of any who were knighted. Here I am at Sutton Coldfield Crematorium where Sir Arnold Waters was turned to powder and scattered to fertilise the foliage.

Though I’m in the middle of the country Arnold was born at the bottom in Plymouth, the son of a vicar. When he was 20 his dad died and he moved to Birmingham to work at a firm of consulting engineers. Design and engineering was in his blood so when World War One broke it wasn't a surprise when he joined the Royal Engineers. Being bright and ambitious he shot up the ranks to become a Major.

Aged 32 he was fighting in Orse in France. On Monday 4th November 1918 he was leading his Field Company who were building a bridge across the Oise-Sambre Canal. They were under strong machine-gun and artillery fire at close range. The bridge suffered damage and so did some of the men. After a sustained attack Arnold found all his officers had been wounded or killed. He advanced alone across the bridge and supervised the completion of the bridge, working on cork floats under such intense fire that it seemed impossible that he could survive. Somehow he did. The bridge was completed and further troops allowed to cross pushing the enemy further back.

After the war Arnold returned home to Birmingham and started his own consulting engineers business, dealing in water supply and sewage (riveting stuff.) Being a true engineer he became a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers, Mechanical Engineers and Water Engineers. Aged 38 he married Gladys. Being a modest man he didn’t talk about the war or that he had a VC medal at home.

Aged 68 he was knighted for his efforts in engineering. He never forgot the war though and took a keen interest in the welfare of ex-soldiers, becoming the chairman of a pensions committee to ensure they were looked after (he was also a Justice of the Peace for Sutton Coldfield.) He died at home not far away from his final resting place aged 94.

Here I am at the crematorium where the journey ended. As usual I went to have a look at the chimney itself and did a salute. I only know his ashes were scattered in the Garden Of Remembrance so I looked on a board to see where it was and had a stroll around it. The site covers a few acres so I had a hearty walk around it all. Strewn across the main lawn were handfuls of white powder scattered randomly, some alone and some accompanied by flowers. I did a salute and left.

Perhaps Arnold was sprinkled on the main lawn...

The unveiling of a slab in Plymouth...