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This story has been submitted to the site by Alison Tebbutt, Derby CSV Action Desk on behalf of Mrs E. L. Hipwell. The author has given her permission and understands the site's terms and conditions

There was a knock at the door. At teatime, 30th August 1944, I went to the door followed by my Father. On the doorstep was a small boy with one of those little dreaded envelopes. A TELEGRAM. Father said ‘I’ll take that……’ Composed and calm, a as soldier of the First World War he was not about to panic, his face was serious as he read the four page message.

The telegram began ‘Regret to inform you….’ and went on to say that my husband, Alec, who was serving in the RAF at Scampton, had been seriously injured and admitted to Raucby RAF Hospital in Lincolnshire.

Mother took over, she was good at that. The telegram gave instructions on how to obtain passes and travel warrants from the local Police Station. With sandwiches and a flask we set off for Raucby, wondering how dangerous was dangerous?

The Hospital was a collection of wooden huts full of injured men RAF men. Alec was still in a coma. When admitted I’m told other patients took bets as to whether he would survive hours, days or weeks. A Wellington bomber had crash landed and went through the perimeter hut where Alec was on guard, which injured a number of ground staff, and sadly not all had survived.

The Red Cross provided me with accommodation as Alec remained unconscious and the future was uncertain. After a while his condition improved but as time passed doctors found more injuries, broken spine, broken arm, broken leg, broken jaw, gangrene, and the problems seemed endless.

For the best part of a year I made the journey from Staveley, Derbyshire to Raucby, Lincolnshire. There were good days and there were tearful setbacks. Returning home one day I was sat in the train at Kings Lynn station with a lady whose husband was also in the hospital. The station announcer suddenly said ‘If Mrs………is still on the station would she make her way to the Station Master’s office. On my next visit I was told my friend had been recalled to the hospital as her husband had sadly passed away.

Alec was eventually discharged from the RAF on the 24th June 1946. He worked until his retirement, but never fully recovered from his injuries.

I still have the telegram with the four pages of instructions.

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