This Is Your Life: Anthony Deane-Drummond

Colonel Anthony DEANE-DRUMMOND DSO, MC (1917-2012)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Anthony Deane-Drummond, British Army Officer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews - with the help of John Frost - as he arrived at the BBC Television Theatre, having been led to believe he was there to attend a meeting.

Anthony, who was born in Worcestershire, was educated at Marlborough College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and was commissioned into the British Army's Royal Corps of Signals in 1937. As the second-in-command of a commando force during the Second World War, enemy forces captured him after a failed raid on southern Italy. He escaped from captivity, was recaptured, escaped again, and eventually made his way back to England sixteen months after the raid.

Later, while serving with the newly formed 1st Airborne Division, he was captured at Arnhem while serving in Operation Market Garden. However, he escaped for a third time after spending three days trapped in a room and almost two weeks hiding in a cupboard. With the help of members of the Dutch resistance, he was brought back to British lines as part of Operation Pegasus.

"It was great fun meeting all my old friends and I must thank the BBC for arranging it"

programme details...

Edition No: 142
Subject No: 142
Broadcast live: Mon 12 Dec 1960
Broadcast time: 7.30-8.00pm
Venue: BBC Television Theatre
Series: 6
Edition: 13

on the guest list...

Lt Col Trevor Pritchard
Capt Christopher Lea
Lt Col Dudley Schofield
Traxler Camerana
Louis Nouveau
Alex Watabled
LCpl Arthur Turner
Paul Roelofsen
Mr Huisman
Mrs Huisman
Evie - wife
Shirley - daughter
Angela - daughter
Caroline - daughter
Anna - daughter
Renee Nouveau

production team...

Researcher: John Sandilands
Writer: Peter Moore
Director: Michael Goodwin
Producer: T Leslie Jackson

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related page...

Military Life

saluting the armed forces

Airborne Assault ParaData website unknown date

Towards the end of the 1950's, he was promoted to Brigadier and took over command of 44th Parachute Brigade (TA) from John Frost, who was later destined to play the deceitful friend who brought Deane-Drummond to London under false pretences before handing him over to Eamonn Andrews, presenter of This Is Your Life television programme; for his trouble Frost received the customary bout of good humoured curses.

Series 6 subjects