british_army officer james hill bars march march british_army officer served commander world war born bath somerset hill educated joining british_army commissioned commanded platoon short period attached command post field marshal lord oversaw evacuation brussels beach evacuation brief period time volunteered parachute training joined 1st commanding officer parent formation 1st deployed north_africa hill commanded battalion airborne operation north_africa dropping near towns tunisia secured sent patrols harass german troops convoy inflicting numerous german casualties defended bridge eventually forced retreat hill wounded attack battalion attempted capture italian tanks revolver crews successfully subdued incident opened fire hit hill chest times awarded service north_africa evacuated england took command newly formed jumped brigade british airborne landings normandy night june nearly killed day aircraft position hill commanded brigade rest time normandy leading counter attack german assault later winning bar advancing withdrawn england september briefly served december battle hill commanded allied airborne assault nearly killed containing personal motorcycle rode alongside brigade advanced rhine river end awarded second bar american silver star war briefly military governor copenhagen awarded king vii liberty cross raised commanded 4th retiring british_army involved number charities businesses died march aged early life hill born march bath somerset son educated head college attended won sword honour captain athletics joined british_army commissioned 2nd lieutenant city london regiment regiment father commanded ran regimental athletic boxing associations service regiment transferred order marry wife years worked family ferry company second world war second world war began september hill recalled regiment given command advance party battalion left france month battalion assigned 12th commanded platoon months battalion stationed promoted rank captain january joining staff began time hill attached command post field marshal lord period involved planning evacuation civilian population brussels carried dispatches ordering withdrawal end campaign took command evacuation beach destroyer leave actions awarded return britain promoted major travelled dublin planned evacuation british citizens city german forces land task completed volunteered fledgling british_army growing airborne forces undertook parachute training 1st formed august appointed second command battalion expanded command july 1st selected participate raid got far loaded transport aircraft poor weather cancelled operation raid planned second time parachute battalion removed deployment dependent good weather day raid mid september coming close reaching strength informed allied invasion north_africa place november informed american airborne unit invasion successfully advocated 1st included argued larger airborne force utilised invasion large distances comparatively light opposition provide number opportunities airborne operations commander chief won argument agreed brigade place command general command allied troops participating invasion brought operational strength partly cross posting personnel newly formed provided sufficient equipment resources brigade departed north_africa beginning november north_africa insufficient number transport aircraft allocated brigade possible transport air rest brigade arrived november stores arriving slightly later evening reconnaissance parties travelled airfield remainder brigade following morning november ambitious airborne operations planned cancelled november directed single parachute battalion dropped day near battalion contact french forces remain neutral support allies secure guard cross roads airfield soul patrol eastwards harass german forces selected task hill objected battalion forced vessel carrying supplies equipment arrange transportation drivers provided arrived subjected luftwaffe air raids targeted airfield hill argued result men exhausted believe battalion equipment hours asked operation postponed short period denied hill faced problems planned operation american pilots transport aircraft transport battalion inexperienced conducted parachute drop time training exercises photos airfield surrounding areas single small scale map available navigation ensure aircraft found drop zone delivered battalion accurately hill sat cockpit leading assisted pilot escorted american lightning fighters engaged drove german fighters approached border encountered thick clouds forced turn landing decided battalion conduct operation day allowed rest night 1st took morning november enjoyed excellent weather allowed transport aircraft drop battalion accurately airfield landed successfully man killed rigging line twisted neck mid drop officer broke leg landing men wounded gun accidentally fired battalion second command major remained airfield small detachment collected airborne equipment supervised burial casualty hill led rest battalion approximately strong trucks town important road railway centre approximately miles airfield battalion arrived approximately welcomed local french garrison strong hill persuaded cooperate order garrison german observers impression possessed larger force actually hill arranged battalion march town times wearing different holding different equipment time short time battalion entered german aircraft arrived bombed town caused little damage casualties day company sent detachment engineers village sir miles away contact local french forces believed pro british harass german forces detachment found village contact french allowed pass town nightfall force reached town decided night dawn german convoy armoured cars passed detachment decided set ambush convoy returned anti tank mines laid road mortar guns set concealed positions convoy returned approximately leading vehicle struck exploded blocking road vehicles disabled mortar fire bombs remaining anti tank mines number germans killed rest taken prisoner slightly wounded detachment returned prisoners slightly damaged armoured cars success ambush hill sent second patrol harass local german forces withdrawn encountered larger german force inflicted british casualties bombed inflicting civilian casualties destroying number houses november hill visited commanding officer french forces guarding vital bridge warned attempt german forces cross bridge opposed battalion hill attached company french forces ensure bridge captured german forces soon arrived bridge commanding officer demanded allowed control bridge cross attack british positions french rejected german demands conjunction company repelled subsequent german attacks lasted hours battalion reinforced field artillery battalion elements despite fierce resistance german forces proved strong november allied forces yielded bridge surrounding area germans days later hill received information strong italian force included number tanks stationed hill decided attack force attempt disable tanks following night moved battalion small guard detachment remained sir linked force french infantry hill decided battalion section inch mortars cover companies advanced attacked italian force small force road rear hill ensure italian tanks retreat battalion arrived hill incident began prepare attack prior beginning attack loud explosions rear hill anti tank grenades carried accidentally detonated killing battalion lost element surprise hill immediately ordered companies advance hill force reached engaged mixed force german italian soldiers assisted light tanks hill drew revolver adjutant small group advanced tanks firing shots observation ports attempt persuade crews surrender tactic worked tanks reaching tank hill men fired tank crew hill shot times chest adjutant wounded tank crew swiftly dispatched small arms fire hill survived prompt medical treatment replaced commander battalion major pearson supervised routing rest german italian soldiers normandy injuries treated hill evacuated hospital north_africa recover forbidden exercised climbing window hospital ward night actions north_africa awarded paid tribute brilliant handling force complete disregard personal danger february recovered injuries flown england met commander newly raised authorised raising brigade november comprising 7th 8th 9th converted infantry battalions need commanding officer offered job hill accepted action send entire unit forced march end announced battalion work half day week sunday trained fit initially attached april given command departed end april mediterranean theatre invasion sicily detached division march remained england april transferred newly formed hill brigade new commander august 1st attached meant assigned newly formed attached instead replaced 7th transferred new parachute brigade command fully late december orders prepare airborne operations conducted division airborne operation time saw combat conducting british airborne landings normandy night june day tasked guarding left flank british amphibious landings securing area east city capturing number bridges spanned rivers canals preventing axis forces advancing british beaches given tasks accomplish commanded lieutenant colonel assault destroy capturing high ground setting 1st destroy bridges 8th task destroying bridges operation began brigade suffered combination poor navigation pilots transport aircraft heavy cloud cover incorrectly marked drop zones led units scattered wide area hill dropped sticks 1st canadian 9th near landed submerged river rank approximately half mile forced wade feet water number flooded irrigation ditches reaching dry land flooded areas claimed lives number brigade collecting number men headed town hoped find 9th fared assaulting route party low flying german aircraft forcing dive cover aircraft departed hill stood finding wounded officer killed men killed wounded attack leaving commander headquarters defence platoon aid administered wounded hill continued finally managed reach headquarters set informed gale brigade successfully completed objectives hill wound tended travelled headquarters found lieutenant colonel pearson temporary command informed brigade staff killed drop night june entire division fully deployed eastern flank invasion beaches holding mile 1st les 8th southern rest time normandy division acted infantry role june august consolidated expanded responsible section saint come nearby manor brigade primary defensive position brigade positioned 1st june onwards german pressure rapidly increased brigade positions number attacks repelled june june decision taken expand east tasked achieving deemed strong placed command battalion launched attack town june met extremely heavy resistance repulsed suffering number casualties day entire subjected fierce artillery bombardment assaults german tanks infantry germans particularly focusing positions held 9th remnants 5th black watch defended saint come gradually forced retreat lieutenant colonel informed brigade headquarters metres away battalion unable hold ground longer hearing message gathered 1st led counter attack forced german troops withdraw german attempts breach 9th parachute battalions positions end june hill stated period june toughest days fighting saw years war period hill awarded bar distinguished service order supervising assault 12th town town dominated long ridge near allied launched repeated attacks mid august division remained static positions holding left flank allied conducting vigorous patrolling finally august division ordered prepare offensive night august began advance stiff german opposition ultimate objective mouth 6th advance hill led division advance held nightfall village securing bridges allowing 5th pass positions continue division advance brigade remained canal days august advanced stalled german infantry armour near 8th secured village fighting continued fierce august entire division advanced days patrolling division time normandy came end days advanced miles captured square miles km2 occupied territory taken prisoner german soldiers casualties period killed wounded missing finally withdrawn days august embarked england beginning september december germans launched huge offensive forest german objective split british american forces apart capture port antwerp important logistical base allies initial assaults extremely successful creating miles wide miles deep december german units advancing american resistance fierce german advances areas particularly town christmas day offensive halted contained allied counter offensive began majority troops committed belonged american armies british participated leading divisions division england beginning september christmas leave days counter offensive began quickly transported arriving night december december 6th airborne division commanded positioned towns december advanced german occupying area german offensive begun hill hospital undergoing plastic surgery meant unable join 3rd days recovered batman flown able rejoin brigade 5th launched attacks german positions village resulted heavy british casualties brigades conducted large number offensive patrols action german units occupying positions opposite withdrew fighting end january division transferred netherlands set new positions river conducted patrolling elements held positions operations came end late february withdrawn england prepare major airborne operation march rhine march began airborne operation aid establishment east bank involved 17th varsity airborne component lieutenant general lieutenant general crossed rhine area south canal divisions dropped near town tasked number objectives seize forest overlooked rhine including road linking towns bridges smaller seized facilitate advance town captured specifically tasked securing northern portion airborne including section high ground east bergen bridges hill drop north eastern corner forest clear western portion forest seize hill known secure road junction near bergen eventually link 5th dropped minutes later planned landed accurately drop zone hill landed near forest occupied german soldiers switched people killing number trees brigade headquarters positioned supposed immediately cleared arrived occupied german troops hill immediately ordered company commander 8th clear officer killed process hill moved headquarters nearly killed approaching barely managed pull time landing trees investigation hill discovered contained batman personal took time lower safely brigade suffered number casualties engaged german forces hours drop zone completely clear enemy forces battalions brigade formed key town captured conjunction 1st unit having lost commanding officer german small arms fire moments landed despite taking casualties brigade cleared area german forces hill report brigade secured objectives varsity success ordered major general commander advance eastwards supported airborne troops unconventional transport advance including captured german staff cars horses hill motorcycle batman travelled alongside advanced point batman stopped motorcycle relieved captured german colonel driving hill disapproved battlefield looting batman eventually relented stating pair midnight march division came control commanded lieutenant general general allied advance germany baltic_sea division leading unit german resistance continued heavy division managed advance rapid pace despite brigade point advancing miles hours eighteen spent combat early april 6th airborne reached brigade approaching near town accompanied armoured support brigade found moving parallel german tanks hill sitting rear british tanks sides opened fire little damage german tanks managing brigade brigade continued fast pace advance hill continuing ride motorcycle april reached river having advanced miles fourteen days division captured prisoners period crossing division came command general informing vital division reach port approaching ensure denmark occupied soviet_union 5th ordered lead division advance hill determined reach extremely rapid advance succeeded troops 1st enter beating advancing russian tank column miles days later germany surrendered war europe came end hill awarded second bar command advance rhine american silver star post war career hill served military governor copenhagen awarded king vii liberty cross assumed command 1st oversaw retired british_army july continued serve officer raising 4th serving commanding officer standing commander brigade hill served board number companies including wharf companies canada hill avid particular claim fame second person discover egg nest helped set fund acting trustee organisation thirty years chairman years hill married second time wedding june attended 60th anniversary normandy landings bronze statue unveiled crossroads charles prince wales colonel chief parachute regiment died march days birthday survived second wife daughter marriage
James Hill (British Army officer)