Interview with Hugh Marshall

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Introduction

Interview with Mr Hugh Marshall in Dene Lane, Harvel on Friday 22 February 2013. The Interviewer was Roy Cook.

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Personal details 1

Hugh was born on 25 August 1935.Index

Army Service

He has lived in the Gravesham area since 1953 when he was in the Army in the 75th Heavy AA Regiment and stationed at the Milton Barracks as the Duty Regiment for the Queen's Coronation. He has been asked to hoist a flag on 2nd June 2013 at the Civic Centre for the Queen's Coronation anniversary. He also spoke of meeting with the Queen at Brompton Barracks.Index

Employment 1

On leaving the Army in 1956, he had a variety of jobs. He worked for Mrs Parnell, Leigh Court, Meopham, a Wartime female pilot, and recounts an anecdote regarding her experience of a problem on her farm. He also had worked in Grays, Essex as a welder.Index

Domestic

He married Irene, his wife, and lived first in a caravan at Istead Rise and then at an area later developed as Vigo Village. He then lived in a cottage until he purchased five acres of land in Dene Lane Harvel and began to rebuild the house on the site until he ran out of money.Index

Employment 2

Due to his Army experiences in handling explosives, he became a demolition expert, working on the many road systems being constructed in the area and he also became involved with Marine Civil Engineering. He recounted several stories regarding his skill using gelignite as an explosive.Index

Parish Council 1

He said that he had been approach to join the Meopham Parish Council whilst a Committee member of the Harvel Village Hall. He had been associated with the Parish Council for over 20 years. He exhibited a sign condemning the Parish Council for wasting money.Index

Mobility scooter

He then listed all the organisations that had help buy his mobility scooter.Index

Territorial Army

He had enlisted in the Territorial Army as a Royal Engineer Bomb Disposal expert stationed at Fort Clarence in Rochester.Index

Parish Council 2

When asked if he remembered any development problems or changes that had been dealt with by the Parish Council, he only spoke of internal problems.Index

Personal details 2

He stated that his surname "Marshall" was his Foster Mother's name as he had been born in Shoreham in Sussex and adopted at the age of three weeks. His own Mother had been employed as his Nanny. His Foster Mother had been a Debutant and became a Scout Mistress in 1916. He recounted the story of 10th Hadley Boy Scouts meeting King George. His Foster Mother had also established a laundry to employ orphan girls from the area. She had also been a governor of a local school. He also claimed to be related to Deputy Fuhrer, Rudolf Hess, who was his Great Great Uncle. He also still had a half-sister living in Devon.Index

Home Guard shed

He said that in his acreage he had the remains of a Home Guard shed built and used as a centre for spotting enemy aeroplanes.Index

Parish Council 3

He was asked again about the workings of the Parish Council and he replied that when new planning regulations came into operation there had been an increasing amount of development in the Valley area. He claimed responsibility for changing the name of Whitepost Lane, Meopham, to Nurstead Church Lane, to avoid confusion with Whitepost Lane, Culverston. He spoke of his feelings regarding the inhabitants of Vigo Village.Index

Officer Training Camp

He mentioned the Officer Training Camp that had been in the Vigo area and the rumours of suicides. He spoke of the remains of a Grandstand in the camp and the possibility of the visit of both the King VI and Princess Elizabeth during the War.