Why Support Blesma Week? Arthur's story

Arthur English MBE joined the territorial army in London at 19 years old, just two years before WW2 was declared. He was part of the Rangers 9^th battalion Kings Royal rifle call.  Now 97 years old Arthur recalls the four years he spent abroad before a terrific incident led to the amputation of both his legs and his return home.

“We left for Egypt in 1940 and from there travelled to Greece. We went up to the Yugoslavia border but were pushed back by the German Panzers. We were evacuated by a naval destroyer and went to Crete. We lost two thirds of the battalion in Crete either because they were killed or captured. I was fortunate because when I was in Crete we had a dysentery and I was evacuated on a hospital ship to Palestine. I spent six weeks recuperating. I was lucky to get away whilst the rest of them, at least another two thirds of them, were killed or captured. I was scared all the time then.

We left for Egypt in 1940 and from there travelled to Greece. We went up to the Yugoslavia border but were pushed back by the German Panzers.

“The hospital ship was then bombed by the Italian Air Force and I was sent straight to the infantry based depot. I was told to go to Cairo where the battalion was being reformed. When we were reformed there were new jobs from England and after a lot of retraining we went up to the Western Desert where we used to have the odd fight with the Italians and Germans. We were pushed back to El Alamein and eventually I was sent back to the infantry based depot for some time as from there the battalion was disbanded. The first battalion of the Kings Rifle Call became the regular battalion and we were there until the end of the campaign in Tunis.

We spent a lot of time in Africa doing nothing but slowly we were pushing back the Germans. It was the Christmas of 1943/1944 that we moved into Italy, and October 1944 I was travelling in a tracked vehicle that got blown up. I needed both my legs amputated and to tell you the truth I was so filled with morphine that nothing at all mattered in the least. I just laid there and people came and stuck needles in me. I was operated in a field hospital, just in a barn and when I looked up I could see Brigadier insignia on the surgeon’s shoulders. When I looked at my legs, I thought ‘what’s all that steak doing there’ and I said to the surgeon don’t take off my legs but I couldn’t move them.

We spent a lot of time in Africa doing nothing but slowly we were pushing back the Germans. It was the Christmas of 1943/1944 that we moved into Italy, and October 1944 I was travelling in a tracked vehicle that got blown up.

The next ten weeks were like a blur really as I was so filled with morphine. I was taken in a hospital ship which landed in Liverpool on Christmas Eve. Then moved onto a hospital train, stopped at Sunderland and then sent to Dunston Hill Hospital (the pensions hospital). Eventually I was fitted up with a pair of tin legs and discharged. It was like you’ve got the legs, get out and get a job. I was 26 years old by now. The only thing they told me was to go the labour exchange which happened to be in Newcastle upon Tyne, and to my amazement they gave me some money. It was called ‘dough unemployment’ but I was amazed as no one had given me money before.”

Fortunately, Arthur was not alone in the North. His sisters had been bombed out of London and he decided to move in with one of his sister in Newcastle where he found work as a temporary Clerk. His sister’s husband had been killed during the War and at the time she was pregnant with their first child.

“It was quite difficult becoming an amputee. Sometimes I was in acute discomfort. I was a bit frustrated at having to walk slowly but was glad to be able to walk at all frankly because there were quite a few people in the hospital whose stumps were so short they couldn’t wear anything which was incredible depressing for them.”

But after a few months, Arthur found another job in the newly formed Ministry of Social Security in London. It was whilst living in a lodging house that he met his wife, Peggy, who was the land lady’s daughter. The couple have just celebrated their 65^th wedding anniversary.

Arthur carried on his work for the Ministry until retirement at the age of 61, having in the previous year been awarded an MBE for his contribution to the Civil Service.

“I went to Buckingham palace and it was very enjoyable. It was a bit nerve wracking really, The Queen asked what service I was in and I told her department of social security. Normally you stand in a line and go up one by one, but one of the ushers gave me his arm because I was so scared of falling. I said to this usher ‘give me your arm’ and held on to him because all I could think was how embarrassing it would be to fall down.”

Blesma have been very helpful. You see our garden – it’s my wife’s pride and joy. They give us a grant every year to keep it in good condition and in my younger days’ I’d sit on a mower or sit and cut the edges. They helped us install a stair lift. They have been exceptionally good.

Arthur joined Blesma whilst he was in hospital and recalls memories of Blesma Cheshire branch Christmas dinner parties where the Honorary president was the Duke of West minister.

Blesma have been very helpful. You see our garden – it’s my wife’s pride and joy. They give us a grant every year to keep it in good condition and in my younger days’ I’d sit on a mower or sit and cut the edges. They helped us install a stair lift.

The garden in which Arthur speaks of stretches the whole way round their house, features a large fish pond and blossoms with a range of white, yellow and purple flowers. The house is surrounded by beautiful greenery. 

In later years’ life didn’t stop being full of adventures and new experiences for Arthur and Peggy once they retired. Arthur decided to learn to swim, something they only had to give up recently because of Arthurs arm going weak, and they travelled the world visiting Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and many more.

Blesma wishes many more happy years to them both.

With your support we can continue providing support to thousands of wounded veterans like Arthur. What can you do for our wounded? https://blesma.org/support-us/blesma-week/