It’s been 76 years since that afternoon in April 30th, 1945. The last convulsive days of war, in the air you could finally breath spring, after a 5 years long winter. The last pockets of German Resistance, increasingly disbanded and reduced to an organizational chaos, fought a last desperate battle while the majority was trying by any means to reach Germany. Ally pilots knew that the end was upcoming and they were impatient to be able to come home, especially after those last convulsive months where bombing mission and ground attacks had taken place tirelessly, during both night hours and daytime. They took flight with the spirit of the forthcoming victory, but carrying in their hearts the heavy burden of many lost companions and so much pain experienced firsthand. It is perhaps with this spirit that F/O Arnold G.R. Hallas, pilots in the 601° squadron, Royal Air Force took off at 3:35PM from Bellaria Airport to attack German regiments in withdrawal between Conegliano and Germona. Hit b
Only after 75 years fr om that dramatic event, Arnold Hallas body would be partially retrieved inside his cockpit, several meters under the ground. Polesine Lost Aircrafts Society (Associazione Aerei Perduti Polesine), while conducting the aircraft recovery operations, could do nothing but note the sad reality of what ended the young pilot’s life
Thanks to the mediation of the English Embassy and the participation of a JCCC commission (Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre), responsible for management of fallen military, it’s been confirmed after few days that human remains actually belonged to Arnold. Polesine Lost Aircrafts Society’s activity didn’t end with “just” the discovery.
After the recovery, researchers and historians looked for news on the English pilot and possibly his relatives: to everyone's great happiness, they heard that his over ninety-year-old sister, Heather, is alive and that his story is still remembered with love by his nephews. A constant epistolary exchange, still ongoing, is allowing us to get to know even more about young Halls, to read his letters and to be able to give him a face, other than a complete story.
A story that leaves a bitter memory because, from his writings and memories passed down to his relatives, it looks sharp the contrast between Arnold’s joy, which he felt by the prospect that the war on the European front was almost over and the sad conclusion of his life.
Next Fall, Arnold’s relatives are coming to Italy for his burial ceremony and commemoration at Padua War Cemetery. It will also be an important occasion to allow them to visit the exhibition site at Prati Vecchi (Aguscello, Fe) wh ere are displayed – after a long restoration – the engine and most of the Spitfire NH231’s componentry.
Hallas’ story, although forgotten for many decades, nowadays has become cause for reflection also for young people. The attention and sensitivity of an elementary teacher in Villadose, Maria Cristina De Stefani, led the oldest student of that elementary school to see first-hand what happens in a war and how much pain surrounds it. This school programme offers an important cause of reflection and has found in this same territory an even greater cause of reflection, more felt given that Hallas’ story and his aircraft will be forever bound to Villadose
Elena Zauli delle Pietre
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1971568466313407 
