Corporal 'Nutty' Hazle; Stretcher bearer who won two DCMs
Hyfler/Rosner
July 24, 2006 Monday
Obituary of Corporal 'Nutty' Hazle Stretcher bearer who won two DCMs
under heavy fire while tending to the wounded in Africa and Italy
CORPORAL "NUTTY'' HAZLE, who died on June 22 aged 87, was severely
wounded in the face when he won a Distinguished Conduct Medal as a
stretcher bearer in North Africa in 1942, then returned to the front to
win another in the even fiercer fighting around Monte Cassino almost
two years later.
In March 1944 Hazle was serving in Italy with the 1st/4th, Essex
Regiment, taking on the German 1st parachute division who, its own army
joked, had had to murder their parents to be admitted to the elite
unit. The fighting was often hand-to-hand with butt and bayonet, and
involved attacks on hill features where the Germans were entrenched.
These had to be approached, under intense shelling, in difficult
terrain where men easily lost touch and sometimes disappeared down the
precipitous slopes. The Germans, too, carried out fierce counter
attacks. But so heavy were the casualties on both sides that they
sometimes shared cigarettes during the ceasefires negotiated to allow
the wounded to be recovered.
Hazle was sent with one of two companies to reinforce a Gurkha
battalion on an isolated position 300 yards from the Benedictine
monastery's wall, known as Hangman's Hill because of a gibbet-like
pylon located nearby. Under machine-gun fire, Hazle received a nick
across his throat from a piece of gravel, before the companies reached
their objective with a combined strength of 40, plus 30 wounded; the
Gurkhas were pinned down, also with heavy casualties, and there was
little food or water. As the only medic present, and with no resources
but a first aid haversack containing some bandages, a bit of morphia
and scissors, Lance-Corporal Hazle became, in effect, the regimental
medical officer, according to his regiment's history.
Working in cramped conditions under constant mortar fire and artillery
bombardment, as the empty canisters from smoke bombs caused further
casualties as they fell among them, Hazle fearlessly exposed himself to
continual fire over six days, dressing wounds, and carrying out an
amputation. Even when struggling with fumes from the smoke bombs he
continued.
His citation, written by the commandant of the 1st/9th Gurkha Rifles,
declared: "The magnificent service rendered by this NCO under the most
grim and dangerous conditions; the medical skill he displayed; and his
never faltering devotion, bravery and spirit have earned the universal
admiration of the whole of the force which was isolated in this
position.''
Hazle's second DCM made him one of only five men to be so decorated
during the Second World War; and one of these was another member of his
own regiment.
The son of a painter and decorator, Edmund Bryant Hazle was born on
November 26 1918 at Hadleigh, Essex. Young Ted was educated locally and
went into the printing industry. He joined the 4th Battalion, Essex
Regiment (TA), and was mobilised in 1939. As a member of the battalion
band he became a stretcher bearer, serving in West Africa, Cyprus and
Palestine before moving to the Western Desert.
Hazle won his first DCM during a period of almost continual action
between June and July 1942, when Rommel was still threatening to
advance on Egypt. Hazle's battalion, along with several Indian units,
was heavily involved in the Ruweisat Ridge area, south of El Alamein.
During this time Hazle was said to have shown a devotion to duty of the
very highest order, never hesitating to go out to dress the wounds of
men in forward areas and then carrying them back to safety under
intense shell fire.
On July 23, when an attack by 161 Indian Mounted Brigade failed, Hazle
went out three times to bring men back. On the fourth occasion, as he
went forward to attend an Indian soldier who lay in full view of a
sniper, the right side of Hazle's face was completely smashed, and his
shoulder was also hit; but he displayed courage that was "an
inspiration to all,'' according to his citation.
His face wound required several operations but he recovered well enough
to serve not only at Cassino but in Greece towards the end of the war.
In 1945 Hazle returned home to marry his fiancee Cissie Clemens, with
whom he later had three children. After being discharged as a weapons
training instructor at Warley Barracks, he returned to printing.
A dedicated family man greatly respected by all, he was secretary of
the 4th Battalion Old Comrades' Association for many years.