by Les Amdur
My friend Doddie asked me to do him a big favour. I was to help him “smuggle” his older brother Norman through the medical test procedure in Johannsburg, for acceptance to the army. I asked what was wrong with him? The reply was – a long list! A Johannesburg doctor ordered him to give up being a motor mechanic, and take up a less strenuous profession!
This was due to various problems, including rheumatic fever and other illnesses, from childhood.
But the greatest problem however, was that from birth, he had had a murmur of the heart! We planned to appear towards the end of the queue of the medical tests – (when the doctors were tired) and “bamboozled” them – (methods never disclosed) so that they didn’t actually examine him properly at all! When we arrived at the army base in Israel, we told the doctors that he had “already been to the medical test in S.A”
During training, Norman found it difficult at the beginning, but he had a “special mission”. At the end of the training, he planned to walk into the office of that Johannesburg doctor who had previously ordered him to give up being a motor mechanic.
So, he was determined and pushed himself relentlessly beyond the normal limits!
At the end of Tironut, it was announced that Norman was honoured as “Chayal Mitztayen”. Most outstanding soldier!
Afterwards he continued to Koors Makim (Non Commissioned Officers course). One year and a half later, he did indeed visit the Johannesburg doctor, who almost fainted!
Today, 50 years later and more, Norman Gordon is well, living in Pretoria