"A Veteran tank commander who fought the Nazis in North Africa [during World War II] has died in Billericay at the age of 91."
Mr. Yarrow didn't speak much about the war, but one story that he told his son was as follows:
"He was once driving a truck when he saw an American plane overhead, which mistook him for a German vehicle. He had to dive out of the truck at 20 mph into a ditch. When he went back to the van it had bullet holes all through the driver's seat."
He commanded a Sherman tank in Tunisia as part of the 6th Armoured Division and fought in North Africa before joing the Allied forces to fight in Italy.
While in Italy he met his future wife in 1945. Arpalice Giselda Moretto of Padua, Italy hid Allied airmen on her family's land and had been arrested three times by the Nazis. Despite the language barrier, they were happily married until her death in 2005.
When they returned to the UK, Bernard eventually worked for the Ford Co. in Dagenham. He was very active in church and community affairs up until the time he was hospitalized and died at Basildon Hospital on Feb. 20 with liver and heart failure.
His funeral occurred on March 9, 2011 with a Scottish piper leading the cortege at the Holy Redeemer Church in Laindon Road. He was laid to rest at Great Burstead cemetery with his wife, Arpalice. He left two children, John and Diana, and three grandchildren.
Taken from "Essex Chronicle Gazett", Thursday, March 10, 2011 online; written by Joshua Farrington.
Mr. Yarrow didn't speak much about the war, but one story that he told his son was as follows:
"He was once driving a truck when he saw an American plane overhead, which mistook him for a German vehicle. He had to dive out of the truck at 20 mph into a ditch. When he went back to the van it had bullet holes all through the driver's seat."
He commanded a Sherman tank in Tunisia as part of the 6th Armoured Division and fought in North Africa before joing the Allied forces to fight in Italy.
While in Italy he met his future wife in 1945. Arpalice Giselda Moretto of Padua, Italy hid Allied airmen on her family's land and had been arrested three times by the Nazis. Despite the language barrier, they were happily married until her death in 2005.
When they returned to the UK, Bernard eventually worked for the Ford Co. in Dagenham. He was very active in church and community affairs up until the time he was hospitalized and died at Basildon Hospital on Feb. 20 with liver and heart failure.
His funeral occurred on March 9, 2011 with a Scottish piper leading the cortege at the Holy Redeemer Church in Laindon Road. He was laid to rest at Great Burstead cemetery with his wife, Arpalice. He left two children, John and Diana, and three grandchildren.
Taken from "Essex Chronicle Gazett", Thursday, March 10, 2011 online; written by Joshua Farrington.
"A Veteran tank commander who fought the Nazis in North Africa [during World War II] has died in Billericay at the age of 91."
Mr. Yarrow didn't speak much about the war, but one story that he told his son was as follows:
"He was once driving a truck when he saw an American plane overhead, which mistook him for a German vehicle. He had to dive out of the truck at 20 mph into a ditch. When he went back to the van it had bullet holes all through the driver's seat."
He commanded a Sherman tank in Tunisia as part of the 6th Armoured Division and fought in North Africa before joing the Allied forces to fight in Italy.
While in Italy he met his future wife in 1945. Arpalice Giselda Moretto of Padua, Italy hid Allied airmen on her family's land and had been arrested three times by the Nazis. Despite the language barrier, they were happily married until her death in 2005.
When they returned to the UK, Bernard eventually worked for the Ford Co. in Dagenham. He was very active in church and community affairs up until the time he was hospitalized and died at Basildon Hospital on Feb. 20 with liver and heart failure.
His funeral occurred on March 9, 2011 with a Scottish piper leading the cortege at the Holy Redeemer Church in Laindon Road. He was laid to rest at Great Burstead cemetery with his wife, Arpalice. He left two children, John and Diana, and three grandchildren.
Taken from "Essex Chronicle Gazett", Thursday, March 10, 2011 online; written by Joshua Farrington.
Mr. Yarrow didn't speak much about the war, but one story that he told his son was as follows:
"He was once driving a truck when he saw an American plane overhead, which mistook him for a German vehicle. He had to dive out of the truck at 20 mph into a ditch. When he went back to the van it had bullet holes all through the driver's seat."
He commanded a Sherman tank in Tunisia as part of the 6th Armoured Division and fought in North Africa before joing the Allied forces to fight in Italy.
While in Italy he met his future wife in 1945. Arpalice Giselda Moretto of Padua, Italy hid Allied airmen on her family's land and had been arrested three times by the Nazis. Despite the language barrier, they were happily married until her death in 2005.
When they returned to the UK, Bernard eventually worked for the Ford Co. in Dagenham. He was very active in church and community affairs up until the time he was hospitalized and died at Basildon Hospital on Feb. 20 with liver and heart failure.
His funeral occurred on March 9, 2011 with a Scottish piper leading the cortege at the Holy Redeemer Church in Laindon Road. He was laid to rest at Great Burstead cemetery with his wife, Arpalice. He left two children, John and Diana, and three grandchildren.
Taken from "Essex Chronicle Gazett", Thursday, March 10, 2011 online; written by Joshua Farrington.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
