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Trooper Sydney Moore - 'Blighty
Wound'
Sid was evacuated
to England five days later on 13th August 1944 and admitted to
Warwick Hospital.
Ron, his younger
brother, can remember visiting Sid in Hospital with his Mum. It was good to get out of
the London bombing blitz. As they got there the air raid warning
sounded. They both panicked and in terror demanded where the nearest bomb
shelter was. They were told not to worry as it was just a
practice and the Germans never bombed Warwick. As Londoners this
was an unreal concept. Air raid sirens were always followed by
loud explosions and the banging noise of Anti Aircraft Guns
trying to find their target. If the bombs did not get you the
hot metal from the exploding anti Aircraft shells could cause
you serious injury as the fell back to the ground.
Ron always
remembers the great atmosphere in the hospital ward. Sid had
a very badly injured right leg, burnt face and had both burnt hands in plastic bags.
As a little boy he was amazed to see the yellow peeling skin on
Sid's hands. Most of
the other patients had other horrendous injuries but they were all
laughing and joking: working out how much pension they would
receive and feeling lucky that they had received a 'Blighty'
wound. They had done their bit for King and Country and would
not be called upon to face death again. It was a relief. Sid's
leg would not heal and Gangrene set in. The smell was awful. Sid
tried to keep his leg as long as he could but eventually he was
transferred to a hospital in Bishop Stortford where his leg was
removed. The doctors had tried to save his leg for over 9 months
but lost the battle.
Sid was fitted
with an artificial leg at Queen Mary's Hospital in Roehampton
near Wimbledon Common.
His service record
shows that Sid was medically discharged as unfit for
any form of military service on 16th October 1945 due to
'disability from 88mm (German) shell wounds: Right leg compound
fracture, leg amputated, burns both hands' Sid served for a
total of three years and 114 days. He was in the war zone for 61
days. He married Fran, the widow of a RAF Typhoon Fighter Bomber Pilot
who had been killed 12th April 1945 in the last few months of
the war. At family weddings and christenings Sid would take off his leg
and chase his nephews and nieces much to their delight.
Books that cover
Op Totalize are 'Blue Flash' written by Alan Jolly (p47 covers
Sid) & 'No
Holding Back' by Brian A Reid
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