260980 Sgt. Stephen Linton Woods Royal Air Force No. 221 Squadron from:Menston, Yorkshire Prior to posting to the Middle East, Sgt. Stephen Woods had a "fitness for tropical service" medical examination in Andover. On leaving the medical unit and whilst climbing into the back of an RAF lorry, an American jeep sliding across the wet road hit the lorry's tailboard smashing Sgt. Woods' left leg. The Americans took him to a cottage hospital but neglected to inform his unit. In consequence, RAF military police turned up at his parent's house in Yorkshire. Sgt. Woods spent over one year in hospital. To promote healing, several metal plates were screwed into his leg, where they remained until his natural death at 87 years in 2006.
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