Recognition at last for veterans decades after being involved in Second World War and Suez

 Roland Swindle...

A WARTIME engineer who helped to keep allied bombers airborne has finally received his service medals. Barnard Castle’s Roland Swindle fixed Bristol Blenheim Bombers and Vickers Wellingtons between 1941 and 1945.
The 97-year-old was given both his Second World War Service Medal and his Defence Medal by staff from RAF Leeming in a ceremony at Charles Dickens Lodge last week.
He said: “I did not think about it and I didn’t realise I was due for them – it was a long time ago.”
Mr Swindle was a stonemason and house-builder by trade before he enlisted as an aircraft fitter, in Preston, in April 1941.
He worked with 12 others building frames for aircraft in Peterborough, Hednesford and Cambridge.
But his service and his life nearly came to a premature end when he and a Canadian airman were trapped in a burning steel Nissen Hut.
Mr Swindle added: “It was a petrol fire and it just blew up. It burned my ear and my face.”
The pair managed to escape through a window, however, his injuries meant a four month stay in hospital before he returned to the hangars.
A spokesperson from RAF Leeming paid tribute to Mr Swindle’s dedication and in a citation.
She said: “He quickly built friendships and was a constant source of guidance during his service until November 1945.
“The selfless commitment during his period of service was well beyond that which was expected and he is richly deserving of the medals awarded.”
After the war, Mr Swindle went into business with his father, got married in 1949 and eventually settled in Winston.
He added: “It was quite a nice life but you missed the lads. When you came out you would think wouldn’t miss it because you just wanted to get home, but you did.”
Lodge staff member and forces veteran Maxine Moore put Mr Swindle forward for his medals after finding out about his service.
His nieces, Dorothy McGinn and Frances Mitchison, had no idea their uncle never received his medals.
Ms McGinn said: “We knew nothing about it. I don’t understand why he didn’t get them at the time but it’s quite exciting really.
“Had it not been for Maxine none of this would have happened – it’s been amazing.”


Norman Hutchinson...

A VETERAN of a conflict which shook Britain to its core has been awarded his service medal.
Norman Hutchinson, who lived in Lartington for 44 years, served on the Suez Canal during the crisis of 1956 and 1957.
The conflict was sparked when Egypt’s President Nasser announced the nationalisation of the Suez Canal Company, the joint British-French company that had operated the canal since its construction in 1869.
Mr Hutchinson, 82, spent six weeks in Port Said before the Americans stepped in.
The former sapper was posted to Germany during his national service with the Royal Engineers.
Night patrols around Port Said kept the place secure in a bid to take the canal back from the Egyptians.
“I had time to go around Port Said when I was out there – it was a marvellous place.”
“We had night shifts to do – I’m only a little fellow so they always put a big one with me on patrols,” said Mr Hutchinson.
“We marched around and if we caught anyone we took them back to the office.
“We were only out there for six weeks then Eisenhower kicked us out.”
With the power of Britain’s Empire ebbing away, the USA and USSR piled on the pressure for the occupiers of the canal to leave.
President Eisenhower threatened to damage the UK’s economy by selling off its wartime bonds leading to withdrawal and prompting resignation of then Prime Minister Anthony Eden.  
Mr Hutchinson went on to work at Deerbolt Borstal, now Deerbolt Young Offenders Institution (YOI), until his retirement in 1990.
On receiving his service medal he added: “I was in the army 60 years ago and I remember saying “they’ll never give us it”.
“The commanding officer said he’d send for them at the time but the crisis didn’t last long enough so I told them to keep it.”