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He remained unconscious in hospital
for some two weeks, slowly coming round, and was finally
discharged three months after the crash. After a further
three months recuperation he returned to his squadron
but was deeply traumatised by his experience, so much so
that he could go nowhere near an aircraft without
breaking down.
He was examined by the squadron
medical officer who referred him to a civilian
psychiatrist. I still find the diagnosis that was made
by that unempathetic psychiatrist deeply and
disgustingly offensive – LMF – lack of moral fibre !!
Fortunately for my father, the
squadron leader intervened immediately and quashed the
psychiatrist’s diagnosis. As a flying man himself the
squadron leader knew exactly what my father had been
through and understood his predicament. Dad was
retrained as a gunnery instructor and spent the rest of
the war teaching youngsters the intricacies of aircraft
guns.
Barrie Davies
10th
June 2008 |