RIP Jim Holder-Vale

I’m sorry to report that Jim Holder-Vale, who posted here on WW2 Talk as Driver-Op, has died at the age of 98. Jim was a member of my late father’s unit, 92nd LAA, and went over to Normandy with the regiment’s F Troop on D-Day, landing on Queen Red sector of Sword Beach. He narrowly missed death later in the day when a sniper targeted him from the tower of the church at Le Port, near Benouville. As a driver-op, he helped set up communications around Pegasus and Horsa bridges, where F Troop was dug in to provide AA cover against German raiders trying to destroy the crossings.


Jim was born in Walthamstow, East London, and called up in 1942 at the age of 18. He stayed with 92nd LAA until March 1945, when he went for officer training and was commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers, his father’s old regiment.

I got to know Jim while researching my book on 7th Loyals/ 92nd LAA more than 20 years ago, and he was a lovely man –bright, intelligent, articulate and with a great sense of humour. Like many veterans, he was reticent and modest about his war experiences. I twice had the privilege of visiting the Normandy battlefields with him and other veterans, when his recollections of incidents and dispositions was spot-on and invaluable to my research.


Jim was the last of the 92nd LAA veterans whom I got to know well while writing my book and his passing is a sad loss to his family and friends and to the dwindling legion of Second World War veterans. RIP, Jim – it was good to know you.

 

Condolences to Jims family and friends

 

God be with him and may he rest in peace ...

 

R.I.P.

Jim.

 

May he rest in peace.

 

R.I.P Jim

 

Very sad news.

 

My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Lesley

 

RIP Jim - and thank you.

 

RIP Jim, my sincerest condolences to all.

 

RIP

 

Condolences to family and friends. Another of that extraordinary generation. BZ. I will look up his posts.