244798 Sgt. Dennis John Ward British Army Parachute Regiment from:Birmingham My Dad, Dennis Ward sadly missed, passed away a few years ago now, most of his stuff was thrown away by my sisters after he moved to Teeside. He promised me his original Red Beret, last used at Monte Casino, but I never got it.
He also fought in Greece and talked long ago, when he said what a tough bunch they were.
He was wounded at Monte Casino searching out the S.S. left in the ruins, he said "they were like tics in a hole." He was treated by a German doctor, I remember a picture of him looking out of a Hospital or Hotel where he recuperated, it was at the the foot of Monte Casino and you had to look upwards to it, maybe it was just a requisitioned building to treat the wounded.
He also took part in hand to hand combat and was speared through his shoulder by a "big Kraut" as he said, but he did for him luckily. He also had a machine gun wound across the left hand side of his head, just glancing but I remember the scar, must have knocked him out also.
He was a fiery old man, always getting into trouble if a bloke made a pass at my Mom. I also remember a fight on the dance floor at Rhyl holiday Camp, when a gent tried to grab a dance.
He always worked hard and tried to do a good job raising us. I miss him lots as I go down to lay a Poppy at the Church.
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