Denison Smock

Transcript

Voiceover:

Now, in 'A small piece of history', Sam Doty of the National Army Museum presents a favourite object from the Collection.

Sam Doty:

Well I've brought one of the objects that we've had into the Museum quite recently and it's something that World War Two buffs will recognise as a denison smock.

It was worn by Lieutenant Timothy Hall as he parachuted into Arnhem as part of Operation Market Garden. And you can see from the back of it, it's quite severely damaged. You can see the damage across the back here was probably caused by shell splinters or grenade fragments as he landed.

He and his comrades were shot at as they came down and Timothy was wounded. He had to repair it himself when he was taken to the prisoner-of-war camp. The stitching is quite rough and crude but we left it as he did it, really.

But I've brought it in in connection with another item that's come in with it, which is a letter written to Mr Hall from the doctor who treated him. And he obviously wrote to the doctor to thank him because the doctor's reply is dated September of 1945.

"Many thanks for your kind letter. I'm glad to know that you are in a much better state now than when you left our hospital. The circumstances in which we all live now are much better than a few months ago. The lamps are burning again and there's plenty of foodstuff. And best of all, we are free."

"You've took the bridge at Arnhem but you and the other men of the 1st Airborne Division have built another one at Apeldoorn - the bridge of mutual appreciation. We tried with our very restrictive means to do our utmost for you. It was nothing more than our share in the battle and we don't need so much thanks as we get now."

And the two objects together, I think, form an amazing connection and give you a deeper understanding of the impact the war had on people's personal lives.