WW2 hero Walter Bentley celebrated at RAF100 event

WW2 RAF veteran Walter Bentley was one of the first to experience the RAF100 Aircraft Tour in Albert Square, Manchester.

Walter, aged 97, who lives at Alderwood Care Home, Salford, received a special invitation to the event, which had a Sopwith Snipe Biplane, Supermarine Spitfire Mk1A, Harrier GR3, Typhoon Full Scale Replica and a Lancaster Front Fuselage.

He was invited to a VIP reception at the Manchester Central Library, where the Lord Mayor of Manchester Councillor June Hitchen gave a presentation.

Air Vice-Marshal Michael Quigley also thanked the gathered veterans for their service and spoke about the history of the RAF and its ties to Manchester.

Paula Duxbury, care assistant at Alderwood Care Home, on Simpson Road, said: “It was such an honour to escort our resident Walter Bentley to the event and be part of such a special day.

“Beforehand, the Salford Veterans Network got in touch to tell us more about Walter’s part in the war, so it was so interesting to meet serving members of the RAF and find out how the job today differs from back then.

“Walter is such a joy to be around and it was so clear how much he loved being around the planes and going down memory lane once again.”

During his time in the RAF, Walter flew multiple missions in Europe during the height of WW2 as part of 570 Squadron.

During his first flight in the squadron, he was shot down and crash landed in the Netherlands. He was piloting a Stirling bomber dropping supplies to 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem.

Only a week later, Walter was back in England and airborne again. He went onto play a part in one of the largest and last Allied airborne operations of the war, Operation Varsity, when the Allies crossed the Rhine into the heart of Western Germany.

Walter Bentley was awarded the 1939-45 Star with Bomber Command clasp and the 1939-45 France and Germany Star War Medal for his part in the war. He was discharged in 1946.