HK Wounded

Wounded

I was first taken on a stretcher by jeep to the Forward Aid Post. This unit was located in a chalk cave near the front. The nurse used a pair of scissors to cut all my clothes down one side: pants, shirt, underwear and tunic. She then did the same on the other side. She then just lifted one side of my clothes and threw them in the garbage. I was then rolled onto a stretcher for examination by a doctor. They dressed my wound and placed me in a holding area, which had dead and dying soldiers on both sides. From here, I was transferred to a Canadian hospital under canvas. Nothing much happened here and I was soon on my way, by Dakota. (my first plane ride) to England.

The aircraft was RAF and we landed in Swindon. The only thing that came with me was my paybook, wallet and watch. The flight was met by an ambulance and I was taken to an RAF hospital in Oxford. The RAF hospital was total pampering. I was in a private room with four nurses looking after my every need. After X-rays and a day or two, I went into surgery and they took out the shrapnel from my chest. They removed the shrapnel. It was about ¼” thick and an inch long. The good news was that I was out of action and I had received no permanent damage.