Above Wally talks Stephen through pictures and records of WWII – events that took place 50 years before Stephen was born
air then – bang – back on deck. My knee
was injured and I was full of shrapnel.
What was the immediate aftermath?
S: It was weird, because I was very calm.
I remember giving myself morphine,
wrapping a bandage around my legs, then
having a cigarette. My left leg was gone
and my right leg was a mess – the bones
had been blown to splinters. A medic on
the ground with us saved my right leg
because he took the tourniquet off that
some of the other lads had put on it. I don’t
remember this but I was picked up by
an American helicopter and flown back
to Camp Bastion then back to Headley
Court, where I regained consciousness.
W: We had to get off the boat because it
was sinking. About 50 of us somehow got
into a lifeboat. We were off the coast of
Northumberland, and followed the buoys
back to shore. People were dying, so when
we landed I went looking for help. A
policeman shouted that there were mines
on the beach and not to move. Then they
brought help. The women of the village,
Boulmer, looked after us. They gave us
clothes and food. There’s a memorial there
now – we still appreciate what they did.
But I was hurt. I couldn’t straighten my leg.
“I’m moving so
well now that most
of the time I don’t
even notice that
I have a false leg.
In an odd way I’m
actually proud of it”
Did you think it would stop you having
a career or having a ‘normal’ life?
W: Not at all. I couldn’t do anything except
carry on, the war was still on and I needed
to help. I was put on another ship to work
straight away, and later went on a number
of different ships, laid mines, worked as
a greaser in the engine rooms, did the
Arctic run – which was absolutely freezing
– all sorts of stuff. Eventually I was allowed
to go to an American hospital in Baltimore
to treat my shrapnel wounds. After the war
I did all sorts – I had a number of different
businesses, I worked all across America,
and I had a family. I’ve enjoyed life and
have done everything for myself.
S: To be honest, I’m moving so well now
that most of the time I don’t even notice
that I have a false leg. I’m doing loads of
running and swimming, and hoping to
try out for the 2016 Paralympic Games.
I’m getting out of the Army in 2014, which
is not something I’d ever planned on doing,
but my life is good and it really doesn’t
bother me that I have lost a limb. I suppose
I’m actually proud of it in a funny sort
of way. When I’m on holiday, for example,
I’ll always wear shorts, and I get a good
reaction. Sometimes kids will say: “Look
at the robot man!”
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