James Hill, Staff Captain, The Royal Fusiliers ©
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Read this introduction to James Hill's story, then listen to him describe his experiences, using the links at the foot of this page.

James Hill was born in 1911 and went to Sandhurst in 1929. He lived the comfortable life of a traditional army officer, then went into the family business. As soon as war was declared he was called back into service, and in September 1939 was put in charge of the advance party of the Royal Fusiliers to go to France. He found himself on the Maginot Line over the freezing Christmas of 1939-40. He was promoted, and went to General HQ to work on the staff of Lord Gort, whom James Hill remembers as a great man.

The blitzkrieg started on 10 May and he was soon ordered to help organise the refugee route out of Brussels. The refugees were slowly organised into overnight camps, but the Germans bombed many of these, causing such carnage that James Hill remembers this as the most horrifying memory, for him, of the whole war.

Eventually he was told to get a French petrol convoy to Dunkirk. This, after many trials and tribulations, he succeeded in doing. Once on La Panne beach, he was left to organise soldiers onto the boats and to keep order as the evacuation proceeded, before making his own way back to England.

	Desperation of refugees Play audio Read transcript

	Surviving mentally Play audio Read transcript

	The Brigadier Play audio Read transcript

	Scene on beach, and bombing of paddle steamer Play audio Read transcript

	Leadership ethos Play audio Read transcript
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