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Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Johnny Cooper, former Army officer, was surprised by Michael Aspel while watching a military exercise at an unknown location.

Johnny, who was born in Leicester and studied at Wyggeston Grammar School, began his working life as an apprentice in the wool trade in Bradford. Having enrolled with the Scots Guards at 18 he was detached to the Western Desert under the command of David Stirling, who dreamt up a brand new way of waging war - fighting in small groups deep behind enemy lines.

As a founding member of the Special Air Services, Johnny fought in the Western Desert before being parachuted into France to work with the resistance and later joined the vanguard of the final advance against Germany, ending the war as a Captain at the age of 23. After a short interval as a civilian, he rejoined the SAS in 1951 to fight with distinction in Malaya and Oman, where he later trained the Sultan's armed forces.

"Oh god! What a surprise!!"

programme details...

• Edition No: 927
• Subject No: 904
• Broadcast date: Wed 18 Oct 1995
• Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
• Recorded: Tue 3 Oct 1995
• Venue: unknown
• Series: 36
• Edition: 7
• Code name: Dare

on the guest list...

• Mildred - wife
• Andrew - stepson
• Alison - daughter-in-law
• Ann - goddaughter
• Graeme - son
• Ben - grandson
• Lucy - granddaughter
• Ernie Bond
• Reg Seekings
• Sir Fitzroy Maclean
• Veronica Maclean
• Pat Riley
• Bob Bennett
• John de Grey, Lord Walsingham
• Capt Freddie Brunton
• Bill Speakman
Filmed tributes:
• Helen - sister
• Sir Ranulph Fiennes

production team...

• Researcher: Alec Lom
• Writer: Alec Lom
• Director: Brian Klein
• Associate Producer: John Graham
• Executive Producer: Peter Estall
• Producer: Malcolm Morris

• names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

Military Life

saluting the armed forces

Ranulph Fiennes

Screenshots of Johnny Cooper This Is Your Life