George Smith
British Army 16th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
from:Wingate,Co.Durham
My father, George Smith, served with the 16th Durham Light Infantry in North Africa and southern Italy in WW2. He was a sergeant and was injured in December 1943 losing his left arm just below the elbow, and various shrapnel wounds through out his body. I understand that a colleague stepped on a mine, killing him and 2 others,so I suppose dad was lucky to survive. We still have the letter the matron wrote to his mother in Wingate, County Durham on 27th of December 1943. He regularly attended reunions in Durham for many years and was secretary of the local branch of BLESMA for years.
