Description:

JOHN HOWARD
(1912 - 1999) British Army officer who led the glider-borne assault on two bridges between Benouville and Ranville in Normandy on D-Day, the former later became known as 'Pegasus Bridge'. Pair of wonderful content letters, each 2pp. 8vo., Guildford, 1997, to an American friend. Howard critiques Darryl Zanuck's blockbuster film 'A Bridge Too Far' and describes his friendship with his adversary, German Oberst HANS VON LUCK. Howard describes meeting with Zanuck and being wined and dined in France. In small part: '...We worked on Zanuck and his cohorts on site...and managed to cut out all the Errol Flynn stuff...There are just TWO things wrong...you see my men removing explosives from under the canal bridge. There were in fact NO explosives in the prepared receptacles...The Germans...were afraid of the French Resistance pinching them, specially at night. We found the explosives in a hut...The other error concerns Lord Lovat's Commandos playing their ruddy bagpipes over the bridge when they arrived...Because of the sniping and mortaring...they ran like hell over that bridge...I was happy about the filming. It was not, after all, a documentary...Hans von Luck is a good friend of mine...since we met...over 30 years ago...We were lightly armed...They surrounded my company of 110, remember that I had lost around 20 on the bridges...and came out of Excoville with 52. One of the saddest times of my life...We were professional soldiers and respected each other...he was captured and did 5 years in a mine as a POW...he knew Rommel very well...he disliked the Nazis but fought for his country etc...' Fine condition.

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June 26, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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