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Alf Nichols - a South Wigston soldier
George Nichols (known throughought his life as Alf) was born in South Wigston.
In 1938 upon the expansion of the Territorial Army he was called up into the 2nd/5th battalion Leicestershire regiment, which
was then beginning to train in Leicester. In the spring of 1940 he was sent with the battalion to northern France. He took
part in the disastrous engagment at Carvin before beginning the long retreat to Dunkirk. Once upon the beach he volunteered
to act as a stretcher bearer, but was turned down as he refused to give up his rifle in line with the Geneva Convention. Lying
among the dunes he found a prayerbook, and began to pray. 36 hours later he was evacuated by the SS St Helier and returned
to England.
After the 2nd/5th battalion was refitted he went overseas again, this time to
North Africa. He was wounded and captured in the action at Kasserine Pass, and spent the remainder of the war as a POW in
Germany.
Left: Alf's identity tag from Stalag IVB where
he was imprisoned for much of the war.
Below: His German military medical card recording
a chest X-ray for the splinter wounds he received at Kasserine Pass.
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