The wooden leg of Derrick Willis
Although many of the items in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) collection are what you would expect to see, like medals, uniforms and weapons, we do have some more unusual objects. One of these is the wooden leg of Derrick Willis!
Derrick Willis was born in Dover, Kent in January 1919. During his childhood, Derrick’s family moved up to Stainforth, Doncaster. Prior to enlistment, Derrick worked as a trainee baker at the local bakery Atkinson’s and as a mine worker.
Derrick’s service book, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Collection, Heritage Doncaster
During the Second World War, Derrick served with the 57th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery. This unit was formed from the KOYLI territorial army as a second line unit of the 53rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery. We can see from the papers in Derrick’s collection that he was originally joined the army in May 1939, and was issued his clothing and equipment in August 1939, and given notice to join for training in camp shortly after.
King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Collection, Heritage Doncaster
Derrick appears in the Doncaster Gazette on 14 November 1940, in an article about ‘Friends and Brothers’ who were on active service. Derrick served as a dispatch rider, delivering messages on his motorbike.
Derrick’s family shared further information about his story with us. During his service, Derrick was riding through the desert in Egypt delivering messages on his motorcycle. He was shot by a plane and was not found for three days. By this time gangrene had set in and his lungs were damaged. He was sent back to England for treatment. Derrick’s leg was amputated below the knee and he had surgery on his lungs. In 1943, Derrick was discharged from the army on medical grounds.
King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Collection, Heritage Doncaster
When he returned to civilian life in Doncaster, he had to adapt to the use of this wooden leg. Derrick and his family settled in Balby and he worked at T. B. Morley and Co lighting company on Wheatley Hall Road.
Although he had survived the war despite his major injuries, Derrick was very troubled by his experience of the war. He found it hard to adjust to life with a wooden leg and one lung. However, despite the use of his wooden leg, he continued to ride motorcycles!
Derrick died in Doncaster in late 1992, aged 73, and his wooden leg and paperwork was donated to the museum collection.
Derrick’s wooden leg is on display at the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Museum within the Danum Gallery, Library and Museum.
His paperwork will be on display at our next Research and Collections Centre events. Join us at City of Doncaster Archives on the below dates:
Wednesday 8 January | Open Day, 10am – 4pm drop in
Wednesday 22 January | Medal Room Tours, 10am, 11am, 1pm and 2pm
All images of objects from the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Collection are shared under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), credit to Heritage Doncaster.