Brigadier James Hill

[Greenronnie]

Brigadier james Hill died on Thursday aged 95.

A veteran of Dunkirk before joining the Parachute Regiment, he was awarded the MC and 3 DSOs during his service.

He was the CO of 1 Para during the legendary incident at Beja in Tunisia, where he bluffed the Vichy French into surrendering by marching his troops through the town twice, once wearing helmets and once wearing berets. Following this they defeated an attack by a joint force of German and Italian troops, during which he was shot in the chest three times.

He also commanded the 3rd Parachute Brigade during D Day, where amongst other battles, his troops took the Merville Battery and the strategically important town of Breville.

Towards the end of the war he commanded the 3rd Para Bde during Operation Varsity, the crossing of the Rhine.

I met Brigadier Hill after jumping into the 50th Anniversary of the D Day Landings, what an honour to meet such a legend. He struck me as being very articulate for a man of his age (83 at the time).

RIP Sir.

[harry hackedoff]

Here`s to him and those like him.
Rest easy Jim.

At the going down of the sun,
and in the morning.

We Will Remember Them

[Doc]

Rest in Peace

[saward]

An emptiness of words.

Rest in Peace.

Saward