WW2 veteran Colin Bell ‘doesn’t consider himself a hero’

A World War Two veteran who doesn’t consider himself a hero has been praised by Good Morning Britain viewers for his stoicism, wit and sharp mind despite being 100 years old.

Colin Bell, from Tunbridge Wells, who flew 50 bombing raids over Germany in World War Two as a Mosquito pilot, appeared on Good Morning Britain today to discuss The Pathfinders: The Elite RAF Force that Turned the Tide of WWII.

Speaking to hosts Richard Bacon and Charlotte Hawkins, he explained how he filled out missions in a ‘wooden airplane’ and had a ‘number of close shaves’ and ‘tussles with Nazis’.    

‘I flew one of the fastest and best aircrafts in Word War Two. 

‘I don’t consider myself a hero, the real heroes were the chaps that flew the heavy bombers. They flew more slowly they were much more vulnerable. 

‘I had a number of close shaves, it was inevitable. The worst place to fly over was Berlin, it was a hell of rough ride but we just had to get on with it. It was a matter of survival,’ he explained.

Describing the Mosquito planes, he went on:  ‘It has to be understood at the time it had been put together and laminated and compressed, it was almost as strong as metal. 

Colin – pictured as a child – remained incredibly humble and said that he ‘wasn’t a hero’

‘I put in a word straight away, it was a master-plane, it could out-fly anything the Germans  could produce in the way of propeller driven aircraft. 

‘And the only aircraft that was much of a threat to us was the jet propelled [Messerschmitt] ME 262 which I had a tussle with one night over Berlin’.

Remaining incredibly humble about his war heroics, he went on: ‘It was a privilege to fly and a privilege to be in the RAF. It you had to fight a war you couldn’t be in a better aircraft.

‘I must admit [when flying] I’d have a little nap on the way back, I’d tell my navigator to keep the plane on course and wake me up when we got back to the airfield and I would land it. 

Colin was discussing new book, The Pathfinders: The Elite RAF Force that Turned the Tide of WWII, with its author Will Iredale (right)

‘On one occasion on my way I was woken to a hell of a bang and my navigator said “what the hell was that” and i said “it was a shell of course”.

‘We checked if it did any damage. When I spoke to the intelligence officer he laughed and said, you flew over a anti-aircraft training school. 

‘They’re only allowed one shell a night – and they let it off on you’. 

Viewers were amazed by Colin who looked ‘very young’ for 100, branding him an ‘extraordinary man’.  

‘Colin Bell, a true hero. Looks like he could still fight the Luftwaffe at 100,’ said one.  

Viewers were amazed by Colin who looked ‘very young’ for 100, branding him an ‘extraordinary man’.

‘Colin Bell looks and sounds amazing for 100 years! What an extraordinary man,’ added another.  

‘I could listen to Colin Bell all day,’ wrote a third.   

‘Good grief, Colin Bell is 100yrs old, he looks a lot younger,’ commented a fourth.

‘They don’t make ’em like Colin Bell any more. 100 year old, ex-squadron leader looking age 70, and with a mind still as sharp as a tack. 

‘Recalling some great memories from his time as a pilot in WW2, incredibly interesting to hear,’ added a fifth.

Others branded him ‘a truly amazing man’ and said they wanted a ‘whole show’ of him.