Arnold Waters facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Arnold Waters
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| Born | 23 September 1886 Plymouth, Devon, England |
| Died | 22 January 1981 (aged 94) Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
British Army |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Royal Engineers |
| Battles/wars | First World War |
| Awards | Victoria Cross Knight Bachelor Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Military Cross Mentioned in Despatches |
| Other work | President of the Institution of Structural Engineers |
Sir Arnold Horace Santo Waters (23 September 1886 – 22 January 1981) was a brave British engineer and soldier. He received the Victoria Cross (VC), which is the highest award for bravery given to British and Commonwealth soldiers. It is given for amazing courage when facing the enemy.
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Sir Arnold Waters: A War Hero and Engineer
Sir Arnold was born in Plymouth, England. He became an engineer and later joined the British Army. He served during the First World War, which was a very big war that lasted from 1914 to 1918.
His Amazing Bravery
In 1918, when he was 32 years old, Arnold Waters was an acting Major. He was part of the 218th Field Company of the Corps of Royal Engineers. This group of soldiers built bridges and other important structures during the war.
On 4 November 1918, near a place called Ors in France, Major Waters and his team were trying to build a bridge. They needed to cross the Oise-Sambre Canal. This was a very dangerous job because enemy soldiers were shooting at them with artillery and machine guns.
The bridge they were building kept getting damaged. Many of the soldiers in his team were hurt or killed. All of Major Waters' officers were either killed or wounded.
Even though it was incredibly dangerous, Major Waters went forward himself. He took charge and personally helped finish building the bridge. He even worked on floating parts of the bridge while under heavy enemy fire. It seemed impossible that he could survive.
Because of his incredible courage and leadership, the bridge was successfully built. This important action helped the army move forward. For his amazing bravery, he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
Life After the War
After the war, Arnold Waters continued his important work. He was later made a Knight, which means he became "Sir Arnold Waters." This is a special honour given by the King or Queen.
He was also a very important engineer. He became the President of the Institution of Structural Engineers twice. He held this important position from 1933 to 1934 and again from 1943 to 1944. He is the only person to have been president of this institution two times.
Where to See His Medal
Sir Arnold Waters' Victoria Cross medal is a very special item. You can see it on display at the Royal Engineers Museum. This museum is located in Chatham, Kent, in England.
