THIS WEEK IN 1970: Why hospital is like home to Bill...
The happiest man in Queen Alexandra Hospital was Bill King, of Cowplain.
Bill, first in hospital as a patient when he was wounded during the First World War, had received a special honour from the hospital. He has been admitted to the War Pensioners Ward, the only remaining part of the hospital reserved for disabled ex-servicemen.Â
The decision to admit him to the ward was taken to honour the fact that he was a Royal Hampshire Tiger, who served in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 14th Battalions of the regiment. And for 43 years, he had regularly visited the hospital and its disabled soldiers.Â
'˜It's been my life really,' said Bill, '˜I have visited the other wards but being admitted to the War Pensioners Ward was like coming home in a way.'Â