229123 Albert "Boy" Wattam Royal Navy HMS Grimsby from:Ashby, Scunthorpe Albert was a strong swimmer and when the Grimsby went down off Tobruk.They were still under attack. His mate couldn't swim so Albert frogged him on his back a mile or so to shore with occasional rests during the swim where he taught his mate to float although still under fire.
On reaching the beach they hid in the dunes and fell asleep from exhaustion. On waking, the firing had stopped, Albert grinned and tried to wake his friend saying "We made it". Only to find no response and his mate was dead from exhaustion. This event affected Albert's entire life.
On return to Blighty, like many others, he received no help, He converted a bicycle to carry ice-cream for sale to survive. He moved to Kent then emigrated to Darwin, Australia. He lived his life at Humpty-doo 40 miles inland in the bush.
His paratrooper brother had a bullet in his head that was inoperable and he committed suicide in 1949. His brother Reg was in Egypt and suffered all his life from steatorhea.
As you can imagine Albert had a rough life, but was much loved.The only medal they gave him was a service medal. The only medal they gave him was a service medal. Like my RAF regiment father in Burma, unsung heroes forgotten by government.
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