BBC Scotland News<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Britain’s last surviving World War Two Victoria Cross recipient, John Cruickshank, has died aged 105.<\/p>\n The flight lieutenant, from Aberdeen, earned the honour for an attack on a German U-Boat while piloting a Catalina flying boat in June 1944.<\/p>\n He was the last to die of 181 people who received the country’s highest military honour for their actions in the conflict.<\/p>\n Flt Lt Cruickshank’s family said he died last week and a funeral would be held in private.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The veteran was badly injured in the attack on 17 June 1944 while protecting British vessels in the Norwegian Sea.<\/p>\n In total, he suffered 72 injuries, including two wounds to his lungs and 10 to his lower limbs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The crew spotted the U-boat ahead of them and went on the offensive with a bombing run during heavy gunfire.<\/p>\n However, their bombs did not release, forcing Flt Lt Cruickshank to turn the aircraft around and attack again.<\/p>\n On that occasion, he released the bombs himself, successfully destroying the submarine.<\/p>\n Navigator John Dickson was killed while his co-pilot and two others members of the crew were seriously injured.<\/p>\n Flt Lt Cruickshank refused medical attention after the attack and flew the aircraft back to its base at Sullom Voe in Shetland.<\/p>\n He never returned to operational flying <\/a>and left the RAF in 1946 for a career in banking.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n He was awarded the Victoria Cross \u2013 the highest recognition for valour that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces \u2013 on 29 August, 1944.<\/p>\n Flt Lt Cruickshank was praised for setting an example of “determination, fortitude and devotion to duty” when the honour was bestowed on him by King George VI.<\/p>\n He rarely talked about his experiences, saying in 2008: “You don’t get involved in that kind of thing thinking of any decorations or any recognition. It was regarded as duty.”<\/p>\n In 2013, he was given the opportunity to fly in an aircraft similar to the one he piloted during the war.<\/p>\n Last year, a Catalina flying boat was flown over Flt Lt Cruickshank’s home in Aberdeen<\/a> to mark his 104th birthday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"John](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/7996\/live\/0a6c9a90-7a74-11f0-baa5-3d5b41566282.png.webp\")
John Cruickshank<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/static.files.bbci.co.uk\/bbcdotcom\/web\/20250814-092707-b0ec5bc3fc-web-2.27.1-1\/grey-placeholder.png\")
![\"Berry](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/272d\/live\/4ddf9c50-7a83-11f0-81f2-1b12a33e5000.png.webp\")
Berry Vissers\/Squadron Prints<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n