See my YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@AlanMalcher-MA
Tag: Alan Malcher Historian
Alan Malcher Military Historian
See my YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@AlanMalcher-MA
Operation Motorman: Retaking the ‘No go’ areas of Northern Ireland.
See my YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@AlanMalcher-MA
Operation Barras: Sierra Leone 10 September 2000. (Newsreel)
The operation aimed to rescue 11 British soldiers serving with the Royal Irish Regiment. 1 Para’s successful joint operation with the SAS influenced the creation of the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG). On 3 April 2006 the SFSG was officially formed and 1 Para is described as a force multiplier.
See my YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@AlanMalcher-MA
British Expeditionary Force, Dunkirk 1940. News reel.
Operation Banner (Northern Ireland 1969-2007). Newsreel: The Troubles.
See my YouTube Channel at Alan Malcher MA, military historian. – YouTube
Now the Truth Can be Told: School for Danger.
1947 reconstruction of the work of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in France during the Second World War. The cast are former members of F Section SOE and the two main charters are Harry Ree and Jacqueline Nearne.
More on my YouTube channel Alan Malcher MA, military historian. – YouTube
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans.
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans was formed in Fulham, London in 1948 and the charity is reliant on public donation, businesses and trusts. An amazing group of London taxi drivers volunteer their time and vehicles to transport veterans to events free of charge. More information will be found at the bottom of this page.
On 2 July 2024 it was a great privilege to be invited to the Taxi Charity annual fund raising dinner in Worthing, Sussex during which transport was provided by 100 London taxies. On the way to the venue in Worthing and on the way back the taxies stopped at the small village of South Holmwood near Dorking where villagers each year provide free refreshments and show their appreciation.
I spoke to may remarkable men and women including 99 year old Dorothy Barron who served with the WREN’s as a signaller during WW2.
Walter from the Royal Hospital Chelsea (Chelsea Pensioner) who I spoke to over dinner and a few pints.
Taxi Charity https://www.taxicharity.org/
Operation Tonga: (6 June 1944) The capture of Bénouville Bridge Crossing the Caen Canal renamed Pegasus Bridge.
Actor Richard Todd took part in Operation Tonga on what is now known as D-Day. 60 years on in 2004, he revisited the landing site in Normandy and reflected on his experience. Richard Todd, who was born in Dublin, served with the British 6th Airborne Division and was among the first British soldiers to Land in Normandy and was the first Irishman. The following is from the BBC archives.
The mysterious death of SOE agent Christopher Lord.
Christopher Lord.
Christopher James Lord was born in Birmingham, England on 27 October 1900. He was recruited by SOE in 1942 whilst working for the Guaranty Trust Company of New York after previously working for American Express in Paris and his wife was serving as a lieutenant with the Free French based in London.
It is known Lord arrived in France on 15 April 1943 with instructions to organise the courier network between Belgium, France and Britain and three days after his arrival Lord recruited two sub-agents named Albert Lefevre and Jean Chudeau. Lord is though to have met his two new recruits on 14 May 1943 at the Café de la Gare in Carmaux after which he was not heard of again.
After the war his wife published his photograph in a Carmaux newspaper and asked for information about his disappearance but there were no replies. In March 1946 she was informed that in 1943 an unidentified body had been found in a well in a small village near Carmaux that had been buried locally. The police were aware the unidentified man had been shot four times with a Colt revolver that was dumped with the body in the well, they were convinced he was not killed by the Germans and at the request of his wife the body was exhumed and later identified as Christopher Lord.
Based on the testimony of the local mayor which was circumstantial, the police worked on the theory that Christopher Lord was murdered by his two recruits, Albert Lefevre and Jean Chudeau, who were never found. Lord is also known to have been carrying a substantial amount of money but when his body was recovered he only had a 100 Franc bank note in his pocket and police suspected the motive for his murder was money, but who murdered Christopher Lord and why has not been proved.
Christopher Lord was eventually buried at Laissac Cemetery, Aveyron, France (CWGC).