branch death_date allegiance awards birth_date rank article_title name
royal air force 12 march 1988 great britain empire gallantry medal exchanged for 30 august 1906 leading aircraftman walter arnold -lrb- gc -rrb-
 walter arnold
walter arnold -lrb- gc -rrb-

walter arnold gc -lrb- 30 august 1906 -- 12 march 1988 -rrb- was a recipient of the empire gallantry medal -lrb- later exchanged for the george cross -rrb- and a royal air force airman .
on 20 june 1928 , leading aircraftman arnold was a passenger in an aircraft which crashed on landing at digby aerodrome .
arnold was able to free himself from the burning wreckage but he re-entered the flames in order to rescue the unconscious pilot .
in doing so , arnold sustained burns to his face , neck and hands and his actions undoubtedly saved the pilot 's life .
