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Arnhem Surgeon by Niall Cherry
On 1st December 2010 a new booklet was published, written by Niall Cherry and called 'Arnhem Surgeon'. This 28 page publication covers the story of Captain Michael James, who commanded one of the two field surgical teams in 181 Airlanding Field Ambulance RAMC at Arnhem in September 1944.
It looks at the actions of Captain James and his team, concentrating mainly on their actions in De Tafelberg hotel in Oosterbeek. The booklet contains much new information and complements the authors previous book on the medical services 'Red Berets and Red Crosses' well.
One of the stories contained in the booklet mentioned an unfortunate casualty in De Tafelberg hotel who was there even before 181 arrived, and who was wounded several more times whilst in the safety of the 'hospital'. The author suggested that if anyone had any idea who this man might be, he would be pleased to hear them. Within days of the booklet being available it seems our man has been found. David van Buggenum (author of B Company Arrived) suggests this was Sergeant 'Darky' Spencer Reynolds of 5 Platoon, B Company. He was in the hospital early Monday morning (18 September 1944) before the medical teams arrived, with a number of wounded from B Company after the railway bridge incident (Klingelbeekseweg, Oosterbeek) on the Sunday. His initial wound on being brought to De Tafelberg was a bullet in the shoulder blade and a dislocated (might have been fractured) upper arm held in a sling. His arm could not be set, and he just had the sling to hold it in place. He often told David about the many times he had been covered in plaster and bricks in the following days, also being wounded in several places again.
The booklet is available from the Society's UK representative (Niall Cherry himself), in the Netherlands from Robert Sigmond (Renkum), the Airborne Museum and Meijer and Siegers bookstore, both of Oosterbeek. It is also available on the internet via amazon.co.uk
Only 700 copies have been printed, so 'once they have gone, they have gone'.
28 pages 24 illustrations 2 maps Price 6 Pound 7.50 Euros ISBN 13 978 09532694-1-9 Email for information on orders: niall.cherry@baesystems.com
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