The A4 Pacifics After Gresley

Ronald Hillier was born in North London in 1922. When only 18 he volunteered for service with the Army and saw much action in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. He landed in France on D Day plus 2, then, after a short period in hospital, returned to the battlefield to be involved in the drive across Europe to Germany. He was in the forward units that discovered Bergen-Belsen and returned a few weeks later to help burn it down with a flame thrower equipped Bren Gun Carrier. After demob’ he returned to live in London and worked at the at Explosives Research and Development Establishment at Waltham Abbey as a chemist. He retired in 1984 and died shortly afterwards. From childhood to the end of his life he undertook detailed research into railway and military history, leaving his extensive collection to his nephew. It is this material, and an outline he left, that forms the basis of this book.

Tim Hillier-Graves was born in North London in 1951. After university he served with the Royal Navy where he became a specialist in weapon development projects, specifically missiles and heavyweight torpedoes. Later in his career he focussed on Human Resource Management and outsourcing to industry, then as an Assistant Director took on responsibility of housing for military personnel. He retired in 2011 to focus more fully on writing.