EVERY ONCE IN a while a person is remembered in such a way that it makes you sit up and say “I hope they say those things about me when I’m gone”.

Flight Lieutenant Tony Snell, who has died at the age of 91, was the subject of an astounding obituary in The Telegraph this week.

The piece details how he evaded his enemies while flying a Spitfire in World War II, after which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order medal.

Snell’s story gets more unbelievable with each paragraph; here are 9 of the things that make it a marvelous tale:

1. “His Spitfire was hit and he had to make a forced landing on enemy territory”

This happened in July 1943, while Snell was patrolling over Sicily.

A group of Spitfires picture in 1943 (AP Photo)

2. “He managed to convince a group of Italian soldiers that he was a Vichy Frenchman”

Snell was from Tunbridge Wells. How good must his accent have been?

via Wikimedia Commons

3. “He managed to jump clear and run off, followed by more grenades”

This was after avoiding an initial grenade rolled towards him by German soldiers, who had threatened him with capture.

World War II era grenade (left) (William Conran/PA Archive/Press Association Images)

5. “He lept up and ran off as the Germans fired… he was badly wounded, but he managed to escape”

After being captured by a German firing squad while trying to escape a minefield, Snell was taken for a spy, but escaped the firing line, before being captured again by Germans while trying to make it to Allied lines.

File image of German soldiers in 1943 (AP Photo)

6. “While being transferred by train to Germany he jumped from the train with another officer, although not fully recovered”

The pair then, with the help of some Italian friends attempted to make it to the Swiss border.

German airplanes attempt to bomb the invasion fleet of the Allies landing near Gela Beach in Sicily, Italy on July 23, 1943 (AP Photo)

7. “After a very long and steep climb, they crossed the frontier into Switzerland”

The pair were then interned until late 1944, when the Americans reached the Swiss border via the south of France.

The Alps at the Swiss/Italian border (via Shutterstock.com)

8. “For 20 years Snell was an actor and songwriter. He toured a one man show around Africa…”

Snell had remained with his jet fighter squadron until 1946, before turning to the entertainment business. Donald Cotton, one of the early writers of Doctor Who, was his songwriting partner.

9. ” In 1966 he returned to England bought a catamaran, sailed it with his wife to Spain”

He then set up a boat charter company in Ibiza before moving to the Virgin Islands and setting up another boat company and a restaurant called The Last Resort.

The restaurant burnt down, but was rebuilt by Snell and his wife, who also owned properties in New Hampshire, Sussex and Brighton.

The Last Resort at Bellamy Cay, Beef Island, Tortola, BVI (via Facebook)

10. “Snell was still entertaining at The Last Resort until just a few weeks before his death”.

He was 91.

Here’s a Facebook post marking his death:

RTÉ’s moving obituary piece on the life and career of Colm Murray>