Tom's Swagger Stick

Swagger Stick repair

Readers will remember local resident of Hankelow, Tom Hassall, received the Legion D'Honneur last year at the French Embassy from the Ambassador for his contribution in liberating France at the D- Day landings in WW2.

Recently, Tom was featured on the BBC1 TV programme "Repair Shop" where his Swagger Stick was repaired.

After WW2 in early 1947, Tom was stationed at the Spandau Barracks in Germany as part of the Gloucester Regiment British occupying forces for a short period before being moved to Jamaica.

Whilst there, Tom was selected for guard duty and as one of the smartest on parade was awarded a cane "Swagger Stick" with silver coloured knob and given the job of accompanying the commanding officer as guard.

Over the years, the stick became somewhat worse for wear and a friend Terry Foden got in touch with the BBC Repair Shop to see if it could be repaired. Last October, together with his daughter Jane Burnham and Terry,Tom was invited to Chichester near where the Repair Shop is located. They stayed overnight at a B&B as guests of the BBC and next day took the Swagger Stick for repair.

Returning that evening Tom was delighted to see the Swagger Stick restored to its former glory and says Jay and the team had done a fantastic job, for which he was very grateful and somewhat emotional.

You can see the recent episode featuring Tom on the BBC iPlayer.

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