POW meets man who saved his life
The last time ex-military paramedic John Hamilton saw his comrade Jack Booth, he was holding him down to stop him lashing out in pain while his legs were sawn off in a life-or-death operation.
Having assisted with dozens of similar procedures under appalling conditions in the jungle camp's makeshift hospital in Thailand, he thought no more about his patient.
That was until this week, when the 90-year-old from Northamptonshire received an unexpected phone call during a two-week respite break in Blackpool.
Mr Hamilton said: "I picked up the phone and a voice said: 'You're the bugger who chopped my legs off. I've been trying to find you for years.'
"I didn't know quite how to react but it's fair to say I was gobsmacked.
"I hadn't a clue who this man was but he certainly remembered me."
Mr Booth would never forget the day in 1943 when he was offered a stark choice after one of his legs became severely infected with a bamboo thorn wound and the other with an insect bite.
He was forced to endure the agony of the double amputation just to survive.
The 89-year-old is now a resident at the same British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association (Blesma) home where Mr Hamilton went to stay two weeks ago while his wife, Sheila, was in hospital.
Once Blesma staff heard of the amazing co-incidence, they arranged for the two veterans to get in touch and the pair agreed to meet on Tuesday.
Mr Hamilton, who lives in Finedon, near Wellingborough said: "He came bounding up to me and shook my hands, telling me I'd saved his life.
"I remember we used to say to chaps in his situation that it was a question of losing their legs or dying. Ninety-nine per cent of them chose to live.
"We used whatever we could as tools and there was no real anaesthetic.
"We had to hold them down to stop them lashing out and biting the surgeon.
"I must have helped with at least 70 amputations and we could barely distinguish between the men because they were so sick, emaciated and covered in sores.
"That we should meet again in this way I would have thought was impossible and inexplicable. It was simply an incredible twist of fate."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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