Tony Hibbert (soldier)
Encyclopedia
Tony Hibbert MC
is a former British Army officer who fought in World War II
.
He was commissioned into the Royal Artillery
in 1938, fighting with the British Expeditionary Force
in the Battle of France
and being evacuated from Dunkirk. He then joined No. 2 Commando
in October 1940, later renamed 11th Special Air Service Battalion, with whom he fought in North Africa and Italy. He fought in the airborne Operation Market Garden
at Arnhem
where he was captured. He managed to escape a few days later, but broke his leg shortly afterwards.
On discharge from hospital he led the 500-strong T-Force
in Operation Eclipse on 5 May 1945 to capture Kiel
, its port, its scientists and the access route to Denmark
despite the town being held by a far larger German force and being beyond the surrender line agreed 24 hours earlier at Lüneburg Heath. This prevented the German forces from falling into Russia
n hands - for which Kiel has bestowed the Great Seal of Kiel in May 2010. The story of the advance on Kiel is told in Sean Longden
's book, 'T Force, The Race for Nazi War Secrets 1945'
He was discharged from the Army in 1948 and became a businessman.
In 1957 he established "The Salterns" sailing club at Lymington. The club is run by juniors for juniors with oversight by an adult committee.
In the 1980s he moved to Cornwall
where he still lives and purchased Trebah
Gardens. The garden is one of the UK's most important Victorian gardens and is now a major tourist attraction in the area.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
is a former British Army officer who fought in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He was commissioned into the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in 1938, fighting with the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
and being evacuated from Dunkirk. He then joined No. 2 Commando
No. 2 Commando
No. 2 Commando was a battalion-sized British Commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The No. 2 Commando unit was reformed three times during the Second World War. The original No. 2 Commando, unlike the other commando units, was formed from volunteers from across the United...
in October 1940, later renamed 11th Special Air Service Battalion, with whom he fought in North Africa and Italy. He fought in the airborne Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
at Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
where he was captured. He managed to escape a few days later, but broke his leg shortly afterwards.
On discharge from hospital he led the 500-strong T-Force
T-Force
T-Force was an elite British Army force which operated during the final stages of World War II. Originally used to secure and exploit targets that could provide valuable intelligence of scientific and military value, they were later tasked with seizing Nazi German scientists and businessmen in the...
in Operation Eclipse on 5 May 1945 to capture Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, its port, its scientists and the access route to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
despite the town being held by a far larger German force and being beyond the surrender line agreed 24 hours earlier at Lüneburg Heath. This prevented the German forces from falling into Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n hands - for which Kiel has bestowed the Great Seal of Kiel in May 2010. The story of the advance on Kiel is told in Sean Longden
Sean Longden
Sean Longden is an author and historian who specialises in previously untold stories from World War II , mostly sourced from interviews with veterans...
's book, 'T Force, The Race for Nazi War Secrets 1945'
He was discharged from the Army in 1948 and became a businessman.
In 1957 he established "The Salterns" sailing club at Lymington. The club is run by juniors for juniors with oversight by an adult committee.
In the 1980s he moved to Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
where he still lives and purchased Trebah
Trebah
Trebah is a sub-tropical garden situated in Cornwall near Glendurgan Garden and above the Helford River .-History of Trebah:In 1831 Trebah was acquired by the Fox family who built Glendurgan Garden. Trebah was first laid out as a pleasure garden by Charles Fox, a Quaker polymath of enormous...
Gardens. The garden is one of the UK's most important Victorian gardens and is now a major tourist attraction in the area.
External links
- http://majorhibbertslog.co.uk/tmshandb3.html