The Quiet Hero of 107: A Remembrance Day Ode to Arthur Bell

There are some stories, aren't there, that just stop you in your tracks, stories that remind us of the sheer endurance of the human spirit. And really, for all the hustle and bustle of modern life, Remembrance Day has a way of bringing those narratives to the forefront. This year, in Calgary, a truly extraordinary one did, indeed, take centre stage. We’re talking about Arthur Maxwell Bell, a gentleman who, at a remarkable 107 years young, stands as the city's oldest living Second World War veteran.

Imagine, if you will, the world he’s witnessed, the changes, the triumphs, the hardships. Back in 1941, when the world was gripped by a terrifying conflict, a young Arthur chose to step forward, joining the Royal Canadian Air Force. He wasn’t just a recruit, though; he became a flight lieutenant, a navigator, specifically on a B-24 Liberator bomber. Picture him, then, soaring through the unforgiving skies with the Royal Air Force's 224 Squadron Coastal Command. His mission? A critical one, really: patrolling the vast, treacherous Atlantic, diligently searching for those elusive German U-boats, protecting vital convoys that were, honestly, the lifelines of the war effort. It was a brutal theatre, full of unseen dangers, a constant dance with death over an endless ocean.

And speaking of danger, his daughter, Catherine, painted such a vivid, and frankly, heart-stopping, picture of his wartime experiences. You see, her father, despite his humble nature, had a knack for surviving the seemingly unsurvivable. She recounted, for instance, moments where the very engines of their aircraft failed mid-flight, or that one harrowing crash landing in Iceland. Can you even begin to comprehend the sheer terror, the skill, the sheer luck involved in walking away from such ordeals? These weren't just stories; they were fragments of a life lived on the razor's edge, moments that shaped him, but never, it seems, broke his spirit.

Yet, like so many who faced the horrors of war, Arthur returned, quietly, to build a new life. He settled here in Calgary, raising a family, establishing a respected career as a chartered accountant. But his mind, it seems, was always buzzing with more. He found time, quite remarkably, to publish several books – not small feats by any measure. One, "A Portrait of the Prairies," gives you a glimpse into his deep connection to this land, and then there’s his biography of the renowned Group of Seven painter, Lawren Harris. A life rich in both duty and creativity, it truly was.

So, on Remembrance Day, it felt only right, didn't it, that he was given a moment, a special honour at the Colonel Belcher seniors home, where he now resides. Dignitaries were there, of course, like Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani and Veterans Affairs Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor, each offering words of profound gratitude and praise. But it was the quiet, almost overwhelming reverence from everyone present that truly struck a chord. Though frail, a testament perhaps to those 107 incredible years, Arthur Bell rose to a thunderous, heartfelt standing ovation. It was, you could say, a collective hug of appreciation.

And so, as we reflect, as we always must, on the sacrifices made for our freedoms, figures like Arthur Bell stand as living, breathing monuments. They remind us that history isn't just dates in a book; it’s the lived experience, the courage, the quiet resilience of individuals. Their stories, his story, must never, ever fade. Because in remembering them, we truly remember who we are.