Hill, Richard Lawrence (Oral history)

British officer served with Royal Marines and with Landing Craft Support (Medium) flotilla in GB and North West Europe, 1941-1945

REEL 1 Background in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 1924-1936: family; education; leaving Brasil for GB, 1936; Nazi movement, Integralistas in Rio de Janeiro; life as schoolboy, 1924-1936. Aspects of period as schoolboy in GB, 1939-1941: memories of Battle of Britain in Mayfield; use of schoolboys as observers; attitude towards potential German victory; sight of bombing of Croydon airport; public morale; determination to join armed forces in GB rather than return Brasil. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Marines in GB, 1941-1942: background to enlistment with Royal Marines under Y Scheme. REEL 2 Continues: training at Browndown Small Arms School; officer training at Thirlstone OCTU; expectations of cadet George Kaye; commissioning 11/1942. Period with 2 Beach Group in GB, 1942- 1943: nature of induction at Hayling Island; course at Woolacombe; dealing with mines and booby traps; role of unit; question of preference for commandos than landing craft. Period with landing craft flotilla in GB, 1943-1944: training on landing craft; allocation to landing craft support (medium) flotilla; description of LCS(M); loading of LCS(M) into HMS Empire Arquebus. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations with LCS(M) flotilla off Gold Beach, Normandy, D-Day, 6/6/1944: background to briefing at Southampton; discovery of his objective at extreme west end of Gold Beach; tasks his LCS(M) was given especially dealing with enfilading fire; his attack Le Hamel on Gold Beach; destruction of four LCAs which followed him in; under-fire from German 88mm guns; shipping water and aid given by destroyer; exploring situation towards Port-en-Bassin. REEL 4 Continues: return to Gold Beach; sleeping in landing craft; return to Southampton after D-Day operations. Period of landing craft training in GB, summer 1944: attitude to not being in commandos; night navigation on landing course at HMS Cook; formation of LCS(M) flotilla at Richborough; training at Pegwell Bay. Recollections of operations commanding LCS(M) 117 off Netherlands coast, 1944-1945: crossing to Ostend, Belgium, autumn 1944; move to Terneuzen for briefing, 11/1944; strategic situation in Zeeland area, 11/1944; role of his landing craft patrolling River Schelde; basing of force at Wemeldinger; lack of knowledge of waters in Ooster Schelde; first patrol on Ooster Schelde. REEL 5 Continues: boarding Dutch barge, 11/1944; asking directions from 4 Commando; use of ML Radar as navigation aid; non-combative nature of German troops; question of ease with which he could have caused a friendly fire incident; question of reluctance of men to be last casualties of Second World War.