The Sunderland RAF veteran who was saved from a burial at sea - when he coughed while inside a body bag

Harry Oxman, 98, will never forget his time in Africa where he would fly up the coast and watch out for enemy submarines.

All was going well until the end of 1944 when he was taken seriously ill with malaria.

As his condition deteriorated he was classed as unfit for service.

Harry pictured with his son Keith, pictured left rear, granddaughter Sophie, and four of his great grandchildren.

Later, he was put in a body bag after he was mistaken as dead. A vicar had read him the last rites.

Just as he was about to be thrown overboard, he coughed. Harry, it emerged, had been in a coma and only came round at the very last moment before his burial at sea.

He shouted ‘let me out’ and it was an action which saved his life. The remarkable story continues.

During a time of limited communications during the war, his wife Vera was instructed to come to the ship and collect his belongings.

Harry Oxman from Sunderland took ill with malaria and was put in a body bag after he was mistaken as dead.

When she got there she was delighted to find Harry alive.

But Harry was so ill, it took him five years to fully recover from the disease.

To make up for lost time he threw himself into badminton, tennis, allotment gardening, swimming and finally flying again with the Newcastle gliding club.

The remarkable tale of one man’s war began when Harry was born in 1922 in Sunderland. His dad, Bernard Oxman, was an aircraft fitter for the RAF in the first world and Harry loved learning about planes.

Harry Oxman who has shared his remarkable story of his war years.

In the Second World War, Harry signed up and joined the RAF in November 1940 aged 18. He started as a trainee 2nd pilot in Feb 1941 and had to move to Blackpool.

He joined the Mosquito fighter planes but they were very fast and the engine noise made him air sick so he was assigned as a navigator for the Sunderland Flying Boat (still training in Blackpool).

Sunderland flying boats were built in Troutbeck in the Lake District and were the only UK made aircrafts to be able to land on water.

Harry was the only actual person from Sunderland to fly in them.

Harry Oxman, pictured with his sons, and who has shared his remarkable story of his life in the Second World War.

Once trained he was dispatched to the West Coast of Africa in August 1941. He was on submarine patrol and he would fly up to the north near Free Town and down to the south at the Belgium Congo taking out enemy submarines.

Harry’s war ended when he became seriously ill but his time with flying continued after his recovery from malaria.

He finally qualified for a solo pilot licence and he went onto obtain the club record for thermal flight of 5 hours and 15 minutes.

He used to take his sons up with him after that and his second eldest Keith carried on the love of flying by also obtaining his pilot’s licence later on.

He had five children and unfortunately lost his wife Vera (who he’d married in 1943) in 2008 and his only daughter, Sheila, to a brain tumour in 2014.

He has 13 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

Harry shared his story in the week when Britain will mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

Harry believes it is important to mark the anniversary and said: “Up until recently, I used to keep in touch with the old crew but as far as I know, I am the only one left.

“I reflect on VE Day about the friendships I made and the things I experienced.

“I used to be involved in the parades and wear my badges but I am too old now.

“I would have done something with my family but due to the current climate, I will just celebrate and remember at home.

“It is probably for the best. My legs aren’t as strong as they once were.”

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