Sheffield war hero, 98, has 'independence stolen' as thieves take mobility scooter

Every day, 98-year-old Bernard Bools gets ready and looks forward to going out to the shops in Broomhall on his beloved mobility scooter.
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He keeps the scooter locked and chained up outside his ground floor flat at Sunnybank sheltered accommodation in Broomhall.

However, on Thursday morning, he woke up to find the lock broken and the scooter stolen.

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Amanda White, Sunny Bank warden said: “I can’t put into words how upset I am for him.

Bernard Bools, 98, had his mohility scooter stolen.Bernard Bools, 98, had his mohility scooter stolen.
Bernard Bools, 98, had his mohility scooter stolen.

““Bernard spent all his savings looking after his wife who died of cancer and so hasn’t got the funds to replace it. He’s such a lovely man and I hope those who took it realise what they’ve done.

"This 98-year-old man has worked all his life, fought in the war and this scooter gave him a little enjoyment and independence every day.

“The scooter was locked up on Wednesday night and by 7am it was gone. It just breaks my heart.”

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“It’s a shame about my scooter,” Bernard said. "I used to enjoy getting out and about but I’m not going to let it get me down. There’s a hook on the wall and it was chained to that and it was padlocked, so they must have cut it with bolt cutters. They’ve stolen my independence haven’t they.”

Bernard Bools live in sheltered accommodation at Sunny Bank.Bernard Bools live in sheltered accommodation at Sunny Bank.
Bernard Bools live in sheltered accommodation at Sunny Bank.

Bernard was awarded the Légion d'honneur, the highest award for bravery by the French Government in 2014 for his role in the 1944 Normandy landings.

He was in Dunkirk as a member of the Royal Artillery.

He said: “I joined up in 1941 after training to be a metallurgist and in those days, they wouldn’t let you go if you were in that occupation, but my boss got wounded in Dunkirk and he pulled a few strings so I could join up.”

Following service in the Far East, he came back to Sheffield and worked for now long-gone Sheffield firms, W.T. Flather and Dunford & Elliot’s, eventually retiring from Sheepbridge Engineering in Chesterfield after it was taken over and closed down by GKN.

Following retirement, Bernard spent 12 years as a car park attendant for St Mark’s Church in Broomhall, raising valauble funds for church causes.