Family alleges war hero mistreated

LONDON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The family of a 101-year-old British war hero says a hospital sent him home in a taxi wearing ill-fitting sleepwear and clutching a bag of dirty clothes.

During five days at Salisbury District Hospital, John Platt's hearing aid was stepped on and broken, his false teeth disappeared and his soiled underwear was stuffed in a locker by his bed, Amanda Platt, his daughter-in-law, said.

Platt, who was unable to feed himself, was discharged in a confused state and sent home in a taxi "degraded and humiliated," said Amanda Platt.

Platt, who died several days after his release from the hospital, was awarded Britain's Distinguished Service Order for bravery in combat during a fierce battle in Italy during World War II, The Daily Mail reported Wednesday.

"All that he had at the end of his 101 years was his dignity and they took that away from him," his daughter-in-law said of his stay at the hospital, which declined to comment.