��ѿ��ý

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Sarah Harding of Kirklees Libraries on behalf of Mrs. Bartlett and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

My husband David Bartlett joined the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers when he was nearly 18 on 16th May 1931 then ended up with the Irish Fusiliers shortly after. He was one of the first into France as part of the British Expeditionary Force and the last to leave from Dunkirk, fighting all the way back setting charges and blowing up bridges with the Coldstream Guards all the way back to Dunkirk.

He went to Tunisia, Egypt, Sicily and then Italy. He was Company Sergeant Major for D Company. He lost fingers at Trigno, and was so badly injured at Monte Spaduro survival seemed impossible. In this battle at Monte Spaduro the Irish Fusiliers ran out of ammunition so they flung rocks at the advancing Germans, battered at them with their rifle butts or grappled with their bare hands. Out of three platoons only thirty men came out.

Because of his injuries he had to live with a plaster cast on his head with a metal contraption which was fastened to his reformed nose and fitted into his mouth. His nose had collapsed twice and he was told that if it did it again he would have to do without a nose. He was in Shotley Bridge Hospital just outside Newcastle, his nose was rebuilt with gristle from a bullock. When he left hospital Matron told him “for God’s sake don’t rub your nose” as it still moved at that time. He lived on liquids for about two years. For at least two decades if he sneezed he got two black eyes and had a nosebleed. When he came home his sister had hysterics so it brought home to him how much his appearance had changed. He also could not see sideways.

Davis is mentioned in John Horsfall’s books “Say Not the Struggle”, “Fling Our Banners to the Wind”, and “Wild Geese are Flighting”. John Horsfall was David’s Colonel and David always kept in touch with him.

David’s first wife Nell died in 1977. We were married for twenty five wonderful years after this. I knew him when he was younger because Nell was my cousin. Amazingly he didn’t go and see the doctor while we were married. We travelled all over and I have so many happy memories. David died on 10th August 2003 aged 90.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.