Fortress Hillman - Roadblock to Caen

Comments · 259

• HE

  @HennerGKuhtz · 1 year ago

  Thank you for this great report. My father was chief of the regiment. He arrived in Normandy in Feb. 1943 from Russia. He moved in the bunker 605 called PAK-Garage in March 1944. He was wounded at noon on June 6th and became PW in the afternoon. In March 1946 he returned back home in Hamburg. <br>He visited this place with my mother in 1959 again. I was the first time in Colleville in2012 followed with visits in 2013 and the 75th anneversery in 2014.

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• HE

  @HennerGKuhtz · 1 year ago

  My father was the chief of the regiment staff. He was living since March 1944 in the R 605 (Pakgarage). He was wounded at noon June 6th and became PW on the same day. He returned home in March 1946. Thank you for your very good report.

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• TH

  @thewanderers535 · 1 year ago

  a lot of work obviously goes into making these wonderful videos and im sure are loved and appreciated by all who view them - thanks

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• TR

  @troykauffman3963 · 1 year ago

  Outstanding video as always. As an American, sadly this is the first I heard of the actions at Hillman. Thank you telling the story of this British assault. 🫡 🇺🇸🇬🇧

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• JA

  @jas_1959 · 1 year ago

  Jon, &quot;Thank You&quot; so much for preserving WW-2 history. I love getting up on Sunday morning and watching your stories. The begining of the end for Germany.

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• MA

  @maryholder3795 · 1 year ago

  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R81py7H3ADM&amp;t=1176">19:36</a> the bunker with the distance and church towers is fantasic it bring home the humanity involved. Thats is what I get from your videos. The soldiers, the foot slogger, the men who went into Hillman.

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• LY

  @lyndoncmp5751 · 1 year ago

  Yes Montgomery is always getting overly criticised by many Americans (and others brought up with Hollywood films and American tv series) but never praised when his forces were 400km ahead of schedule and liberating Brussels Belgium at the start of September.<br>Great episode.

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• JA

  @jameshunter7980 · 1 year ago

  Thanks for covering this action John, it&apos;s often passed by when the story of D-Day is told. You have done a fine job of work there. Private James &apos;Tich&apos; Hunter DCM, &apos;A&apos; Company, 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment is my father. We visited the site numerous times in his later life with other veterans, first time 1989 when it was still a ruin. Les Amis did a fine renovation job over 2 decades to what you see today, all history buffs should visit, the bunker internals are open in the summer and are very well preserved to 6th June specification. Have to say I&apos;m certain that the veterans I knew would be outraged to see the German and EU flags flying over the site today (now that the veterans have passed), the French and Union Jack (as it used to be) seem appropriate. Once again, thank you for your work.

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• SU

  @suepalin9202 · 1 year ago

  Another excellent video, Jon. &nbsp;It&apos;s both sad and ironic that the Tobruk was defended by mines from left-over British ordnance at Dunkirk. &nbsp;The volunteers have done, and are having, a tremendous job in preserving these fascinating bunkers, Tobruks, etc, for future generations of visitors and military historians. Thanks and best! Sue.

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• BT

  @BTTF111 · 9 months ago

  I really enjoyed visiting the Hillman site in early October. Like you, it was after the site closed for the season, so I couldn&apos;t get inside some of the bunkers, but it was nice to walk the site almost entirely alone. It certainly gives you time to reflect on the battle that took place here and the men on both sides. There are some interesting things to note, like the names of a couple of the men stationed there that are written on top of one of the bunkers. Loved the drone footage of some of bunkers on private farmland that I didn&apos;t venture out to see.

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• TA

  @tacfoley4443 · 1 year ago

  Earlier this year we celebrated the life of Private Cecil Deller, veteran of the Suffolk Regiment, and well-loved inhabitant of our village - Alconbury - here in Cambridge. &nbsp;Going back a few years he was kind enough to sign my copy of the book that covers this action. &nbsp;His funeral was a huge affair, as befitted a man we all loved. &nbsp;He drove up until a few weeks before he passed away, and was lively member of our village Thursday Club, where his shout of elation on winning the bingo was his trademark. &nbsp;He was also incredibly skilled at growing all manner of fruit and vegetables - a farm boy to the nth degree. &nbsp;Bless you, Cecil!

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• BI

  @bikenavbm1229 · 1 year ago

  great detail thank you did a whistle stop walk around back in June (we) the British had a great reenactment camp there, spent a bit of time talking to the very knowlegable guys manning it. will visit again with more knowledge courtesy of yourself thanks. I would also like to thank those that take the time to look after these historical monuments such that the rest of us can visit and remember those that fought and died no matter what colour their uniform. keep up the good work.

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