Description:

FALAISE POCKET GERMAN PARACHUTE RELIC
Two sections of white German parachute fabric used by a pilot to escape from his crippled fighter, recovered by an American G.I. and sent home as a souvenir of the battle of Falaise Pocket in Normandy, August 12-21, 1944. One section, 19" x 6", shows multiple German inspection stamps from 1936 to 1944. The second section, 9" x 12", bears a letter from the soldier "Bill" to folks at home. He writes from "Somewhere in France" on Aug. 16, 1944, in part: "...This piece comes from the same chute as the first piece that I sent home. The German plane was shot down during an attempted bombing and the pilot landed in our field which was on the grounds of an estate owned by a 'Prince Augustin de Broglie' [southeast of Caen]...The beautiful home...was succesfully bombed two nights later and flattened by the Germans. From this hill I was able to witness our air force which knocked out 153 German tanks that were trapped in an attempted break through...". Also present is the soldier's shoulder patch, sergeant's stripes, and a German lottery ticket. Very good.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Shipments are sent via USPS Priority, USPS International Priority, DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option, signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee.

September 9, 2014 11:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $3,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000