大象传媒

I was injured during an air raid over Sheffield during the blitz in 1940. Our air raid shelter was sited in our neighbour`s cellar, a bomb fell into the next street just as my mother was passing me over to a neighbour in the shelter, the blast swept the lady off her feet and she fell on top of me trapping my left foot, which was subsequently found to be broken. Because this was not diagnosed for a few weeks, it was suspected that the ankle bone had become tubercular and I was admitted into the T.B. hospital for tests.
To a five year old, the regime was draconion, we were allowed visitors on alternate Sunday`s for two hours from 14.00-16.00hrs. My mother was always the first into the ward closely followed by my father, aunts and uncles. They had to walk for over two hours to get there but they always came. My mother visited on my sixth birthday with a cake and presents but she was not allowed to see me. The worst part was during the air raids, we had a mattress placed over us on our beds and left alone in the darkness until the raid was over.
I was in the hospital for two years and on crutches for seven years. I was left with my left foot and leg considerably shortened, having no ankle bone and severe arthritis in my joint.

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