South Yorkshire Times, March 18th, 1944
Major R.T.F. Hay M.C.
Wounded In Italy
An impression of medical skill patiently and cheerfully exercised under difficulties, and great personal risk, is contained in a letter received from Major R.T.V. Hay., “Woodleigh,” Wombwell, who has been wounded in the leg and back, and is in hospital. He says that after three operations his leg is now fairly comfortable and adds “There is no doubt it will be as good as ever eventually.”
Major Hay was wounded by a shell which killed several others, including Major Eustice Wilson of Sheffield. This was on February 19th, while he was in command of the Regiment. He says the Germans attacked on a wide front after intense mortar and artillery preparation. He was directing the fire of the Divisional Artillery when he was hit by fragments of a shell which landed close to him, killing an R.A. office, his assistant, and another officer. The attack was repulsed with very heavy casualties to the Germans, but they also had casualties. He says “Poor Eustice Wilson was beside me. The Regiment lost two officers killed and three or four signallers wounded.”
Major Hay tells of the great difficulties experienced in getting the wounded off the mountain and said he never thought he would experience such a thing. Actually, he considered himself lucky because half-an-hour after being hit he was in a first aid post with a doctor cutting his clothes off. That was about 6.a.m. He had been hit badly just below the knee and had a bit of shrapnel in the back. He goes on “I was in great pain with my leg. While the doctor was attending to me the Germans began another intense bombardment. Some of the lamps went out, but I manged to restrain myself by imploring the doctor to lie down in case he was hit. He was fine and just went on as if nothing was happening.” Major Hay says the doctor put him to sleep for a few minutes while he got his leg into some sort of shape. He also had some blood given. “Then came the long carry down the awful tracks. This was done by Sikhs, who really were very good and most gentle.”
Four Pints of Blood
By 1 p.m. He was in the Casualty Cleaning Station at a little town not far back, and had about four pints of blood there. He was operated on again and the surgeon said he had about a 50 per cent chance of keeping his leg. He adds, “He must have done it very well as it is still there.” He was at the C.C.S. two days and then was transferred to the General Hospital for a “bad week of pain and nightmares.” There he had another operation; his leg became comfortable and at the time of writing was on its slow way to mending. He says there is still a piece in his back, but it is not giving him trouble . Major Hay says “Everybody has been kind and the people at this hospital are most attentive.”
Major Hay is a son of the late Mr. John Hay, who was a mining engineer at Nottingham and is brother of Mr. J. L. Hay, manager, and agent at Wombwell Main Colliery. He married Miss Katri Wiles, of Willesborough, near Ashford, Kent, who is serving with an American ambulance. An officer in the Territorials at the outbreak of war he went out to the Middle East in Jan. 1943 and gained the Military Cross in North Africa. He was in the landing at Salerno and has since seen a good deal of fighting.