BACK TO NORMAL

[Music] [Music] in October 1943 the Emperors of Russia the Atlantis and the duty home arrived in Britain from Sweden on board were 4,290 repatriated prisoners of [Music] War [Music] I came a sure like that almost 3 years ago thought I was finished because I'd lost an arm I'll bet some of these boys are thinking the same thing too or if they're not their wives are and their mothers it's only natural I suppose you think you're on the scrap heat but the future holds something very different for these Lads I locked my leg in the blitz 3 years ago so perhaps I can speak with some knowledge of what it means at first you really do feel that you're f finished but only if you're completely ignorant as I was of just what can be done once the worst part is over the amputation fitting the limb walking on crouches I set out to see what I could do first thing I did was to throw away the crutches I definitely didn't like them really I was afraid that I shouldn't be able to look after the house and children anymore but I haven't found anything in the house that I can't tackle just like I used to mom hello what's Mom now come along well I'm busy out into the fish a that's right well that's my experience and I'm not the only one who's been pleasantly surprised watch this young couple you've got something to learn from them they're just another two among the thousands of people who've been knocked about a bit by the [Applause] wall I had an accident whilst I was in the Navy and lost both my legs I was the first double amputation case to come turn this War I was going back to an RF Camp one night during the blitz a couple of years ago when I woke up in hospital and they told me I'd lost a leg I couldn't remember still wishing I'd been killed that's what it's like at first you think you're finished cutes in the wooden legs for the rest of alive it doesn't stop me from getting Blazers yes there was Miracles these days of course it isn't a miracle just that artificial limbs have been improved so much to have an amputation below the knee as that girl has isn't really a handicap at all and even with both legs amputated like pity officer young you can still get [Music] about [Music] these boys you saw Landing from the hospital ship come here to the government hospital at rampton where I was taken they come in on CR es and it's Ron's job to send them out under their own steam ready to pick up their lives where they were interrupted that girl you saw at the dance she's back at her old job she can stand all day in the shop as active as ever she was there's hardly a job you can mention that she couldn't tackle successfully Postman Banks lost his leg below the knee 3 weeks before the Armistice in the last war he's been delivering letters now for 20 years and you can't be a postman in a country District without doing your share of walking jock Houston has worked as a leather Craftsman for more than 20 years he lost both legs below the knee in the last war but he can operate a heavy trle machine all day children too Joan gondon was only 11 when she lost her leg in the blitz but she still has her games like any other child she can jump and Skip as naturally as the others and even take all her weight on the artificial limb these cases have all been of amputations below the knee where the knee joint can still be used in walking and bending a thigh amputation isn't quite the same but the modern artificial leg has a joint which can be locked or set at various tensions you can sit down and stand quite naturally and though you may have a bit of a limp don't think that you won't get about like you used to this boy was in a motorcycle accident now he has a job in a garage and he can do everything that's required of him here's an electrician with a fire amputation he was wounded in Libya and lay in the desert for 4 days before before a doctor could reach him before the war he was a laborer since his discharge from the Army he's become a skilled Workman driving a lri isn't a particularly light job this driver lost his leg above the knee but he can still drive a Lori you'd think the loss of two legs would put an end to an active life let those who are afraid for themselves all those they love take courage from the example of petty officer young still up and about from Little Jon and my own case I had a job an ordinary job to do looking after my husband my home and my children I'm still doing it you have seen how we can get back to normal by using artificial legs but what about people who have lost an arm the technical inspector at rampton has something to say about that they tell me that it is more of a disadvantage to lose an arm than a leg that is probably true but I know from personal experience that with the assistance of these artificial arms and the various appliances that go with them it is possible to do a great deal in the way of manual labor I suppose most of us feel when we have lost an arm that we are very dependent upon others well let's see I had my arm taken off above the elbow about 3 years ago at City roseg takes a little getting used to but I can wash shave dress myself put this thing on without any help guess I can do most anything with a little practice except play a piano and we haven't got one anyway but it's not enough just to fun for yourself in your own home it's important but it's important that you keep the home together and that means doing a job a lot of people well-meaning people too think that you only one arm they've got to find you an easy job Clark lift attendant at first I thought they were right but if you've been say uh an engineer what's wrong with the same job I find that I can manage pretty well and it's a simple matter for a government Training Center to give you the correct tools if you've been a draftsman well you're still a draftsman you've got the same skill that you had before it's only a question of getting used to the new arm here's a man who's taken up carpentry he was a sound instructor in the Royal boxers and lost his arm less than two years ago when some detonators exploded accidentally before the war he was a fitter driver carpentry was completely newon but he tackled it and succeeded metal beading is another skilled job that can be done quite easily by a forearm case and there's no time lost in changing tools these are examples of amputations below the elbow like this the elbow joint can still be used and makes the operation of the arm fairly simple but when the amputation is above the elbow like mine is it makes the operation of the limb a bit more difficult the shoulders have to be brought into use by means of these straps the arm is fully under control it can be raised and lowered and used for grasping and holding a little practice in the use of the arm and there are many jobs that can be performed with absolute efficiency here's another last war casualty was only recently been trained as a painter and decorator before that he worked as a general laborer with an arm that was turned out in a Smithy now he's been fitted up at a government Training Center even with two artificial arms a man can still take his place as a skilled Workman when the job's over for the day well what's your fancy tennis golf bilar table tennis for me it's some hard work in the [Music] garden all these men and women came to us disabled the state accepts responsibility for them anything that can be done toward the rehabilitation will be done they can be fitted at rampton or any other Government Center to return to their places in the community but in the end the responsibility rests with the community to accept them to judge them not by their disabilities but by their [Music] abilities [Music] l