Dear friends of Hill 112 - help wanted

[Hanno Spoelstra]

All, I received this e-mail from Albert Figg, and would be pleased if any of you is able to help him with his next project - see below.

Thanks!
Hanno

Dear friends of hill112

This email must come as a surprise after all this time. The reason for this delay is that I had no idea how to operate a computer . After receiving so many mail through my friend in France [milweb www.hill112.com via my Daughter she felt that I should have my own computer and learn it. I am 86 and felt I was to old and I must admit I was scared I would destroy it before I started , however I took a course with Kent Adult Education Service I a m now getting to grips with it, Emailing, word processing ,etc.etc.

I have now been put forward for the Silver Surfers club

Let me tell you what I have been doing during the last six years .

First a project to raise £500,oo to buy a standard for my old comrades association , 112Field Regiment R A, in one month. Organize a 43 tree plantation at Longleat Wiltshire with the help of Lord Bath as a memorial to my 43rd Wessex Wyvern Division at no cost to our association.

Raising £12,500 to find and restore a ww2 Churchill Tank and place it on Hill 112 Normandy in memory of all those tank crews who gave their lives in that battle ,Organizing a Military band concert at THE Wyvern theatre Swindon on 31st August 2002 on the 1st September a Church Service to lay up our O CA Standard and Roll of honour .

In 2000 I was ask if I could get a film made of the battle of hill 112 by a number of Veterans, it was felt that most of the war films depict that it was only the Americans who were there however I would like to assure the Americans we were very pleased they were with us , I hate to think what the outcome would have been without them .

It has taken me all this time and after a lot frustration and hard work to be able to tell you that at last I feel I am getting there .I have now got the support of the Veterans Affairs Committee M, O. D. with a substantial donation also saying it is felt that this film will be of great value to Schools etc.

I have now got the services of the production company 421 who will produce the film also the task of finding the balance of the cost , appr.£155,000, It is hope to start this summer and will take up to eighteen months ,However I need to collect a further £3/4000. To enable us to take a number of Veterans [5/6 out to Normandy to be film on site of the battle and tell their story on camera , so I need Veterans of all units to contact me in particular Infantry who took the brunt of the fighting , I know all units done their bit , but the Infantry are the ones I have the admiration for. I was lucky one , being a Sgt. Gunner I was well back behind the front line .and never saw the horrors of the front line in fact never saw hill 112 untill 1998 but I remember my Regt. 24 25 pdS fired 60,000 shells in operations Epsom/Jupiter.upon visiting it I was appalled of the open ness for where the infantry had to advance, no cover only corn .

Our 43rd Memorial states they had 7000 casualties in twelve days .

I would strongly advise you to read the books by Tim Saunders Epsom &hill112 from Pen &Sward Publication on phone 01226734222or ask at your library .

I would be very gratefull for any donation you can make to help the Veterans tell their story .

Yours Sincerely

Albert Figg

135 Rough Common Road

Canterbury

Kent

Ct 2 9Bs

01227 785227