He served in both the renowned Nelson and Hood Battalions, which were naval infantry units fighting alongside the British Army. He was involved in fighting in the Gallipoli Campaign and the Battle of the Somme, two phases of the war which saw extremely heavy casualties.
He was wounded several times – a bayonet through his left forearm meant that he lost the use of several fingers. He also had fractures to the left wrist, which must have been repaired with wire because bits this wire were still coming through the skin in the 1960s! He never saw a doctor about it.
In Gallipoli he contracted a a severe fever, probably malaria. Every few years he would spike a fever, dose himself up with paracetamol and go to bed. During these periods he would shiver violently. These episodes persisted well into the late 1950s!
I know many WW1 veterans were too traumatised by the horrible conditions and high casualty rate, but my grandfather wasn’t one of them! I vividly remember him telling stories of fighting as I sat on his knee as a little boy. I remember my mother asking him to tone it down a bit, but I decided that that wasn’t necessary!
by rlaw1234qq