War hero reveals new fight

Mar 14 2010 by Coreena Ford, Sunday Sun

A FORMER prisoner of war who fought to clear the names of soldiers executed for cowardice has told how he faces a personal battle against dementia.

John Hipkin will be a familiar name to many Sunday Sun readers, having campaigned for 20 years to clear the names of soldiers executed for cowardice.

Last year, John – who was just 14 when he was captured by the Germans during the Second World War – was honoured by the City of Newcastle for his tireless work in securing pardons for the hundreds of servicemen executed by their own side during the First World War.

Now the father-of-two, 84, of Walkerville, Newcastle, has told how he is coping with the early onset of Alzheimer’s, to show his support for the Department of Health’s new “Living Well with Dementia” campaign.

He said: “It was about nine years ago that I first had symptoms but you just have to get on with things.”

John’s wife of 55 years, Wynn, has acted as his carer ever since he was officially diagnosed four years ago.

Wynn said: “He’s been doing the ‘Shot at Dawn’ campaign for years, but he was getting more forgetful and I worried it was all getting too much for him.

“He was Britain’s youngest PoW during the Second World War and I often wonder if the dementia is down to experiences then.

“He was hit in the head with the butt of a gun while he was in the camp. No one knows what causes dementia, so who knows?

“It’s a very cruel disease but, for the most part, John is fine, especially in the mornings, so it’s liveable.

“As the day goes on he gets worse and sometimes doesn’t know who I am or what’s going on.

“It’s hard for John if he’s had an episode and I tell him what he was saying. He’s horrified.

“He often repeats himself but then so do I . . . we’re both getting old now and can’t tread around like we used to.

“It’s no good whingeing about it though, we just have to stay positive and get on with things.”