Black Country war hero honoured 73 years after being shot by a Nazi in Normandy

Crouching behind a bush on the Normandy frontline, Private Alf Dimmock felt ‘something whistle past’ his arm.

Moments later the teenager felt a piercing pain as a Nazi bullet ripped through his wrist – putting him on a boat home where he spend three months recovering from his wound.

He had been in battle for less than a week but still bears the scars to this day.

He refuses to visit the places he served in during the Second World War, but yesterday he received France’s highest honour for his bravery – at the ripe old age of 91.

Alf, from Quarry Bank, Dudley, was presented with the medal during a ceremony at his local Labour Club.

It is France’s highest honour for service during the Second World War.

He saw action across Europe, Egypt and Palestine during his three years in the Army.

On June 8, 1944 – D-Day plus two – Private Dimmock landed on Sword beach in Normandy with the Queens Regiment, aged just 18.

“I was only a little lad and I remember the water coming right up to my waist,” he said. “We were dropped in the water and had to wade our way to the beach.”

Just six days into his campaign in France, Mr Dimmock found himself fighting in the infamous Battle of Villers-Bocage – an allied attempt to exploit a gap in the German defences to the west of the city of Caen that was vital to the Normandy assault.

But before Alf even had a chance to fire his weapon in the fight for Villers-Bocage, he was wounded and shipped back to England. He said: “I can remember most of my time in the war and I can certainly remember being shot in the arm.

“We were supposed to be hiding behind some bushes. I was lying down with a rifle and I remember something going past.

“I must have moved because next thing I knew I had been shot in the arm. The bullet went through one side of my right wrist and out the other. I was sent back to the UK and spent three months in Hexham hospital, in Northumberland.”

After leaving hospital, Mr Dimmock was moved to the Suffolk Regiment and deployed back to Europe, this time serving in the Netherlands.

A stint in Belgium followed before his regiment was sent to Germany for the final push to win the war in Europe.

He was stationed around the shipping ports of Bremen. And it was in Germany that he fired his rifle for the first and only time during his career in the Army – by accident.

He said: “I was on guard one night in Germany when I accidentally fired it. That was the only time throughout the war.”

After the war in Europe was over, Mr Dimmock was sent to Egypt where he mainly took part in guard duties.

After Egypt he was deployed to Palestine.

He said of his time in Middle East: “I cannot remember too much, or where I was, but I can remember going into Jerusalem and Nazareth.” Mr Dimmock was released from the Army on September 10, 1947.

Despite repeated attempts from friends and the Quarry Bank Royal British Legion, which arranged yesterday’s ceremony, he has refused to visit any of the places he fought in. “I’ve seen more than enough of them,” he quipped.

As well as the Legion d’Honneur, awarded to all living armed servicemen who fought to liberate France during the Second World War, Mr Dimmock received the 1939-45 Star, the France and Germany Star 1939-45, the British War Medal and the Palestine 1945-48 Medal.

After the war he spent decades working in a factory and married his late wife Hilda in 1952 at Christ Church Quarry Bank.

He has lived in Quarry Bank all his life.

Mr Dimmock remains active within the Quarry Bank Royal British Legion and still attends every meeting and event.

Eric Homer, who runs the branch, said: “I have known Alf for a long time. I wish we had more members like him.”