IWM interview with Geoff Hill, No5 Cdo

Thanks to Julie Warren who sent me the link to this interview with my father's Commando Pal, Geoff Hill.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80023528

Nick

My pleasure Nick. I hope it leads to more for you.

Julie

This is excellent Oh I wish my dad was still alive

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 03/12/2011 11:28:16

Stephen,

Stephen Donnison wrote:This is excellent Oh I wish my dad was still alive

Dad died when I was too young for me to ever remember him so, when Julie sent this link I was quite excited to hear that Geoff mentioned my father.

My family had spoken about a friend whom they thought was called Geoff but they couldn't quite remember...

As I listened it was obvious that Geoff mentioned my father quite a lot and knew, and remembered, little details about my family.

I don't mind admitting that I was quite emotional when I heard this recording and was quite choked when he even mentioned me at the end.

I have to say though that Geoff did get a couple of facts wrong -

My mother, Yvonne, was not French. Her father was, but she was born in London.
When my father died she did not marry a German a few months later. She did not re-marry until I was 9 years old (My father died when I was 1 year old) and then it was to an Englishman.

Nick

These clips are a fantastic addition to our website and are just perfect for taking forward the history of the wartime Commandos. Brilliant!

I must mention that Geoff's Sergeant, John Southworth MM was also a member of the CVA before he died aged 89 years in February 2010. His daughter Elaine is a very proud associate member.

Regards

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 03/12/2011 13:21:48

geoffmurray1 wrote:I must mention that Geoff's Sergeant, John Southworth MM was also a member of the CVA before he died aged 89 years in February 2010. His daughter Elaine is a very proud associate member

I found it very poignant that, for the Fort William Remembrance Parade, I was stood with Julie (who found the clip) on one side of me and Elaine on the other and, with the Golden Eagle soaring high overhead, it was a very special moment.
When Julie sent me the clip and it mentioned my dad and Sgt John Southworth it seemed as if it was meant to happen...

Nick

Very good to put the interviews on the site! I totally agree with Geoff: brilliant! And it has been very wise to put their stories to tape as they are slowely but surely fading away....

I have listened to the interviews and what struck me was that none of the men I listened to bragged about their experiences. The opposite is true: they are all very humble. When I heard the voice of Vic Ralph I was sure that he must have been a very nice man. With some of them (mainly the Londeners; sorry about that!) I thought it was a pity that there weren't any subtitles.... But that is entirely my shortcoming of course!

All were convinced that they did a job that had to be done and that they did it in the best way they could. All along the line of: let's get on with it and get this thing sorted. Harry Winch even said that he didn't like the Army but that it had to be done.

They were also men who had and kept their own mind and their own opinions, no matter how hard the training and operations were. Independant minds; I like that!

All the interviews make clear that they were all very proud of being in the Commandos. They wouldn't have missed it for the world! When I compare all this with my own unit I can truly and happyly say: nothing has changed! It is good to know that their spirit has not faded but has been kept and is being passed on.