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F. Malcolm Benitz | Page last modified: |
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F. Malcolm Benitz | Page last modified: |
On the night of April 29/30, 1942, Malcolm was on an operational flight (Wellington P8524) over Heraklion, Crete (Greece) when he was hit by shrapnel and badly wounded in his left leg and buttock with a compound fractures to his tibia. A crew-member gave him an injection to alleviate the pain so he could pilot the aircraft back to Malta. Hospitalized at No.64 General Hospital, Alexandria (Egypt), afraid he would never fly again he refused emphatically (& colorfully) to allow his leg be amputated. Instead it was put in a plaster cast. He said it suppurated, stank, and itched terribly. When he had recovered enough, he was sent to Palestine to convalesce near the Dead Sea; the sea’s high salt content made him very buoyant when swimming.
Malcolm eventually returned to active service, rejoining his bomber squadron (104) in early November, 1942.
His left leg never fully recovered and as the years went by he became very bow-legged. To play polo he would bind his left calf with a horse leg bandage to protect and strengthen it. He also rode with a shortened left stirup. He became even more bow-legged after his horse tripped and fell, rolling on his good right leg. His gait was unique. A friend once said he walked “como con las patas de una gallareta” — as if with the feet of a coot.
On this page:
Telegrams received at “La California” |
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Wounded-1 
Received 4 May, 1942 |
Wounded-2 
Continued (page 2) |
Wounded-3 
Received 18 June, 1942 |
Destinatario: Mr. W.A. Benitz P.709. Regret to inform you advice received. from the royal canadian air-force casualties officer - overseas that your son pilot officer - Frank oficer Malcolm Benitz J.15035 dfc seriousty injured on active service april twenty |
nints suffering from shrapnet wound left calf and compound fracture
left tibia stop |
Destinatario: Mr. W.A. Benitz P.696 Further advice has been received from the royal
canadian air force casualties officer overseas Which states that your son pilot
officer frank macolm Benitz dfc J.one five nought A hace five five has been
removed from the seriously ill list stop letter follows |
Hospital - Alexandria, Egypt: |
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Wounded-10 
Photographers |
Wounded-11 
Very likely: |
Wounded-12 
Very likely: |
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Wounded-13 
Malcolm |
Wounded-14 
Malcolm's left foot |
Wounded-15 
Room-mate opposite Malcolm |
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Wounded-16 
Room-mate across from Malcolm |
Wounded-17 
Room-mate diag. across from Malcolm |
Wounded-18 
Practice standing & walking |
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Wounded-19 
Hospital staff |
Wounded-20 
Hospital staff |
Wounded-21 
Hospital staff |
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Wounded-22 
Malcolm's left foot. |
Wounded-23 
Fresh air on veranda |
Wounded-24 
Boredom on the veranda |
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Wounded-25 
Hospital staff on veranda |
Wounded-26 
Fellow sufferer |
Wounded-27 
Fellow recovering patients |
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Wounded-28 
Malcolm, in bed |
Wounded-29 
Malcolm? |
Wounded-30 
Malcolm |
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Wounded-31 
Back of hospital? |
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Recovery - in Palestine: |
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Wounded-51 
Convalescing |
Wounded-52 
Convalescing |
Wounded-53 
Convalescing |
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Wounded-54 
Malcolm & Unknown |
Wounded-55 
Malcolm |
Wounded-56 
Unknown person |
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Wounded-57 
Convalescing,1942? – Unknown persons |
Wounded-58 
Convalescing,1942? – Unknowns |
Wounded-59 
Convalescing,1942? – Unknown |
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Wounded-60 
Horses! |
Wounded-61 
Horses! |
Wounded-62 
Convalescing |
© Peter Benitz (Benitz Family)