With the outbreak of World War II, and after persistent persuasion, Mr Hyams finally relented and allowed his youngest son to take the oath to volunteer for active service in North Africa with the Rand Light Infantry (RLI). His older brother, and boyhood hero Louis had already joined the recruiting queues of the various regiments and services.

Mobilisation orders arrived for Danny on June 8, 1940, a week after his 19th birthday. Almost a year later, on June 21, 1941, Danny disembarked from the Ile de France at Port Tewfik, at Egypt’s Suez Canal, to participate in the North Africa Allied campaign.

Image caption: Danny Hyams (left), mother Agnes Le Breton, sister Dina and brother Louis just before WWII