大象传媒

VIA SAN MARTINO, NAPLES 1943
Apart from stuffing field dressings into the gaping wound in his side we were quite helpless and clueless as we watched Frank's lifeblood drain away into the sand. Miles out into the Desert, with no help or advice, many men died through the lack of real first-aid awareness. This greatly affected Tommy, who was Frank's particular friend, to the extent that he obtained books, sought out RAMC units and first-aid courses. In fact, anything to increase his medical knowledge.
He was some ten years older than most of us, already married and a father of four, hailing from Pudsey in Yorkshire. Born one of a large family crowded into one of a row of back-to-back cottages with cobbled yards, in the shadow of the tannery and enjoying its perfume. Tommy had a 'bark worse than his bite' labourer father with a wide, studded leather belt. More for effect than actual use, it was often threatened but
rarely used. "Lassing it, eh?" he enquired when at 17, Tommy regularly squired his girlfriend to the local ice-rink. "If tha maks thi bed, tha mun lig on it" he said darkly. As often happened in those days of youthful ignorance Tommy' s girlfriend became pregnant. Tommy gathered his pitifully small bundle of belongings together. He stood at the open door looking at his father dozing in his chair by the gleaming Yorkshire range and shouted out. " Ah've mad mi bed, and ah'm off to lig on it." He
scooted out of the yard as his father stood at the door undoing his belt and uttering dire threats.
Despite poverty and poor surroundings, it was a happy marriage and was eventually accepted by both sets of parents. Then came the war and the volunteering. A jovial and amusing man, reminiscent of Punch with his hooked nose and projecting chin, he was generally popular with all ranks.
Up and down the Desert from 1940, Tobruk, the eventual wrapping up of Rommel and his Afrika Corps, the Salerno Landings and then a welcome rest-break in Naples. Tommy was by then proficient and medically well stocked and was known in the Volturno area as 'Il Dottore'. The division between 'haves' and 'have-nots' was very great in war torn Italy. A doctor would usually require to see the money before attending the poor. No wonder then, that Tommy's daily 'sick parade' for the poor was well attended and he became immensely popular with the Italians of the area, especially the children. There was one visit by a huddle of old ladies in their black
dresses, extremely agitated and vociferous, jabbering away with frequent references to 'Il Dottore'. An old man with a little English was called upon to translate which he did with some difficulty and diffidence. It seemed that a sixteen year old girl was about to give birth but there were serious complications with a breech presentation which was even defeating the family-wise old ladies with their many years of mid-wifery experience. Tommy was concerned and reluctant, despite having delivered two of his own children before arrival of midwife or doctor.
The sergeant left it entirely up to Tommy. Our comedian of a 'Quad' driver jokingly offered heavy tools to assist with the delivery. Everyone sat with fingers crossed until the early hours when weary from the concentration and effort, but elated at the same time, Tommy returned with a grateful horde of family and friends. Everything had gone well. Mother and baby were safe and the sincere gratitude of the family was self evident. A few days later we left the area and the sadness of the crowd that
appeared as though by magic was again a measure of their appreciation. Here was a very ordinary man performing extraordinary duties in his life as a soldier and a concerned human being. A difficult combination.
He didn't make it beyond Monte Cassino, but will be remembered with affection and gratitude by very many people indeed. It was never quite the same with our gun team either, because of all the lights extinguished by the war, his was the brightest.

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