South Yorkshire Times January 9, 1943

Wombwell Parachutist

France, Crete, Libya now “jumping”

A Wombwell man of 23, who was in the withdrawal from Dunkirk, again came under the Natzi hammer in Crete, was later wounded in Libya and afterwards went to India to recuperate, is still thirsting for thrills and adventure. To satisfy this be has joined a parachute Regiment in the Middle East as a volunteer, and is probably the only Wombwell man in that Corps. The man concerned is Pte. Samuel Dyson, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Dyson, 3, Gower Street.      His wife, formerly Miss Doreen Wild, of Darnall, is now on war work.

An old boy of Park Street and Wombwell Modern School, Dyson was formerly employed by Messrs. W. Johnson and Sons, builders. He Joined up a month after the outbreak of war, and with the York and Lancaster Regiment went to France. He had a hard time at the withdrawal. Shortly afterwards he was again drafted to the Middle East and was in the thick of the fighting at Crete, again having to take part in a desperate rearguard. Later he was wounded in Libya, and then spent some months i ecup-erating in India.

His parents had no idea he had gone back to join the Eighth Army until_ after a silence of seven months they had a letter from him a few days ago. In this Pte. Dyson writes: “You will see that I am in a new unit. But don’t worry, I am O.K.. and I like it.”

Dyson has qualified for the “jumps” by putting on weight. Normally about ten stones, he writes: “You will not know me when I come home. I am now just  over 12 stones, and growing every day. The person who says you stop growing at 21 is a fibber.”

Dyson wishes his parents the compliments of the season and says he hopes to be with them next Christmas. He mentions a “forthcoming wedding.” not knowing that his brother Frank (26), was married last November. Dyson has now had four birthdays in the Forces, including his 21st.