JH/WAR - [JH's military service in World War II and later material relating thereto]

JH/WAR

Series

[JH's military service in World War II and later material relating thereto]

1929-1946
1957-2003

12 files Mixed

World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal narratives, British

Diaries, correspondence, reports and memoranda, maps, press-cuttings and publications relating to, and contemporary with, John Hill’s military service in World War 2. Post-war papers, including files relating to: the Air Observation Post Officers’ Association; Army Air Corps; Royal Artillery; Museum of Army Flying, Middle Wallop; Royal Artillery Museum (Firepower), Woolwich.

John Hill enlisted in the Territorial Army on 1.1.1939, taking a commission in the 64th Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery (RA). Following training at Larkhill and Eastbourne, he relinquished his commission in February 1940 in order to join a special unit, the 5th (SR) Battalion of the Scots Guards. This unit recruited experienced skiers with a view to the formation of an Alpine corps to serve initially in Finland.

The Finno-Soviet peace treaty put an end to such plans and JH resumed his commission and spent the greater part of 1940 at the Army Gas School, Tregmantle, Cornwall. In January 1941 he joined the 24th Field Regiment, RA.

In September 1941 JH secured a place on an Air Observation Pilots’ course, following which he served in 651 (AOP) Squadron, RAF, seeing action in North Africa from November 1942 to April 1943. On 22 April, 1943 JH received a severe head wound in action and was returned to the UK. While retaining his acting rank of captain until his commission was formally relinquished on grounds of disability in April 1945, JH was effectively an invalid for the remainder of the war.