WINT – Arthur Stanley

Flight Lieutenant – based in Yorkshire

[Source: CG, AD]

605497 – A.S. Wint – Jamaica – attested 28.10.42 – P/O Pilot UK 25.3.44
55645 – F/O – commissioned 28.1.44

[Source: NA AIR 2/6876]

605497 – A.S. Wint – Jamaica – P/O – commissioned 28.1.44 – Pilot G.D. Branch

[Source: NA AIR 2/6876 – Nominal Roll of Coloured Candidates, October 1944]

Arthur Wint, Jamaican Olympic runner who served in the RAF from 1941 to 1945

Copyright © Arthur Wint, Estate. 2003 All rights reserved.

More: Arthur Wint, a Jamaican hero

F/Lt Authur Stanley Wint (May 25, 1920 – October 19, 1992) was the first Jamaican Olympic gold medalist, winning the 400 m at 1948 Summer Olympics. In 1942 he joined the Royal Air Force and set the Canadian 400 m record while training there. He was sent to Britain for active combat during the World War II as a pilot. He left the Royal Air Force in 1947 to attend St Bartholomew’s Hospital as a medical student.Wint, known as the Gentle Giant, was born in Plowden, Manchester, Jamaica. In 1937 he was the Jamaica Boy Athlete of the year, the following year he won a gold medal in the 800 m at the Central American Games in Panama. In Helsinki 1952 he was part of the historic team setting the world record while capturing the gold in 4 x 400 m relay. He also won silver in 800 m, again coming second to Mal Whitfield.He ran his final race in 1953 at Wembley Stadium, finished his internship, graduated as a doctor and the following year he was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. In 1955 Wint returned to Jamaica eventually settling in Hanover as the only resident doctor in the parish. In 1973 he was awarded the Jamaica honour of the Order of Distinction. He served as Jamaica’s High Commissioner to Britain from 1974 to 1978. He was inducted in the Black Athlete’s Hall of Fame in the US (1977), the Jamaica Sports Hall of Fame (1989) and the Central American & Caribbean Athletic Confederation Hall of Fame (2003).

[Source: Wikipedia]

11 additions to “WINT – Arthur Stanley”

  1. Mark Johnson adds:

    Arthur Wint was a legendary Jamaican athelete who joined the RAF from Kingston in 1941. He trained at Monkton in Canada and was then stationed in the UK as Aircrew in Bomber Command. He flew operationally from 1944 to 1945 (requires validation).

  2. Elisha adds:

    He is one of my ansesters. He died 4 years before i was born. Ive always wondered where my Speed came from in Sprinting. Oviously it came from him 😛

  3. Valerie Wint adds:

    This is my father, Arthur Wint. I’m curious as to the source of this page, giving the copyright as “Wint Estate, 2003.”

  4. Judith Webb adds:

    I remember seeing this picture when I was a child and being transfixed by the muscle definition. It was in either a World Sports annual, that I had as a Christmas present each year, or a souvenir book of the 1948 Olympics.

  5. Ian adds:

    In front of the National Stadium in Kingston Jamaica there is a statue for which this photograph was the inspiration.

  6. Bill Campbell adds:

    My dad was in the Canadian Infantry when Lt. Wint was in the RCAF. My dad ran his third race of the day against him, somewhere in British Columbia(400m – I don’t recall if he said it was a relay or a straight 400), came in third. I am pretty sure Lt. Wint held back a bit, though. However, my dad always regretted that he didn’t get to run fresh against this world-class runner and champion.

    Dad died in 1991. I can feature the races they have in Heaven now.

  7. Mark Johnson adds:

    Bill,

    I am about to publish a history of the West Indian RAF volunteers via Pen & Sword Publishing. I’d love to quote that anecdote about your Dad. My great-uncle was John Blair (also featured here) who wan for the RAF track team alongside Wint. The men were very close friends throughout their lives.

    You can reach me, if you wish, via the ‘Contact’ page on my company website (www.trmg.biz) and I’ll then send you my direct contact info.

    Best,

    Mark

  8. Karl Aiken adds:

    Hello Mark,
    I see you are about to publish a history of the West Indian RAF volunteers. I wish to inform you of an article I did in April 2012 for the Jamaica Journal, Vol.33, No.3:21-33, called “Our men who served, selected stories of Jamaican airmean in World War 2”. I did it in honour of my uncle F/O Aston Karl Aiken, RAFVR Navigator, RAF 107 squadron, 2 TAF, (Mosquito fighter-bombers), who was killed on night operations 8 August 1944, and after whom I was named. It attempted to provide a much-needed sketch of the contribution of RAF ground and aircrew from Jamaica, giving stories of recounted to me by a few surviving veterans belonging to the RAFA here in Kingston. I threaded by uncle’s service into the whole thing. I think you might need to have a look at it and I trust that it might provide some useful information for you, if its not too late. Your work, as it seems to be a much larger document, will really help to remind people of their contribution. Best wishes.

  9. G Scott adds:

    I am trying to find details of a John P Wint, born Jamaica about 1842, died in the UK in 1915, married to Vivienne Dinan in London 1915. Died a few months later at end of 1915 aged 73. Thanks

  10. David Saunders adds:

    Arthur Wint did his basic training in Victoriaville, Quebec, in a class of 93. My father reports:

    “… it was mostly classroom study although there was some physical exercise out on the courtyard next to the barracks. At the end of each session out there, the Sergeant would blow his whistle and we were to race back to the door to go in. Our Jamaican giant would linger a bit, glance around … then beat the rest of us in.”

  11. Bruyninckx A ndré adds:

    I am looking for photograhps en relatives of THOMAS Herbert Percival son of Alexander and Susan THOMAS from Beckford Craal clarendom Jamaica ;H P Thomas was killed in teh crash of LANCASTER NN775 in my village Bunsbeek Belgium on 5/3/1945
    Thanks Andre

Leave a Reply