| Signed limited edition of 500 prints. | Paper size 29 inches x 23 inches (74cm x 58cm) |
Donnet, Mike | | Lieutenant General Avi Baron Mike Donnet CVO DFC FRAeS (deceased) |
| One of Belgiums most distinguished fighter pilots, Mike Donnet led 350 (Belgian) Squadron Spitfires over the D-Day beaches just before dawn, as the invasion was going in. He returned to the beachhead during the day and then finally at sunset. In all he flew 30 sorties over the beaches during the Normandy campaign. Originally a member of the Belgian Air Force, Donnet was captured by the Germans in May 1940 but subsequently made a daring escape to England by air in July 1941. Flying with 69 Squadr |
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Boyle, Peter B | | Staff Sergeant Peter B Boyle |
| One of the pilots in the third glider to arrive alongside what was to become famous as Pegasus Bridge, Boyle had a key role in perhaps the most dramatic action by airborne forces on D-Day. The Horsa landed heavily on the edge of a pond throwing two officers through cockpit windows and temporarily trapping some of the troops in the aircraft - one had been killed, the only fatal casualty in the landings. Boyle then joined in the actions across bridge. Although demanding very accurate flying (all t |
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Cassidi, Desmond | | Admiral Sir Desmond Cassidi GCB (deceased) |
| Admiral Sir Desmond Cassidi GCB joined the Royal Navy in September 1938 and as a Midshipman saw war service in HM Ships Cumberland and Hardy with the Iceland Patrols and Russian Convoys. He was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant in 1944 and took part in the D-Day and South of France landings. After service in 814 and 810 Naval Air Squadrons, he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1953. In 1954 he served at the RN Air Station at Ford in Sussex as the Senior Pilot of the Gannet Intensive Flying Tri |
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Clostermann, Pierre | | Colonel Pierre Clostermann CDLL MM CdeG DFC* (deceased) |
| One of the RAFs best known fighter pilots, with more than 20 victories, Clostermann was a Free French officer and later the author of a classic book about World War Two flying, The Big Show. Clostermann came to Britain via the United States and was first in action with 341 (Alsace) Squadron on Spitfires in 1943. By D-Day he was with 602 Squadron, also on Spitfires, and flew a patrol over the beaches late in the afternoon of June 6th. On June 14th he became the first French pilot to land in libe |
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Otway, Terence | | Colonel Terence Otway DSO LdH (deceased) |
| Terence Otway was born in Cairo, Egypt, on the 15th June 1914. He was commissioned into the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1933, first with the 2nd Battalion, but in 1935 he journeyed to Hong Kong to join the 1st Battalion. In May 1937 he was posted to Hong Kong HQ Cipher Staff, but as a Lieutenant rejoined the 1st Royal Ulster Rifles in August of that year. The Battalion made up part of the international force that was sent to Shanghai to protect it from the Japanese invaders.'We spent four months |
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Gondree-Pritchett, Arlette | | Madame Arlette Gondree-Pritchett |
| Arlette was a six-year-old child when British Airborne Forces landed at Pegasus Bridge and made the Gondree family cafe the very first building to be liberated in France, at exactly 23.20 hours, June 5th 1944. Fierce fighting was still going on and wounded British troops were soon being looked after in the cafe which over the years has become a shrine to returning veterans and is still owned by the same family. During the war the Gondree family were at great risk as Arlettes mother was from Alsa |
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Gueritz, E | | Rear-Admiral E Gueritz CB OBE DSC* (deceased) |
| Edward Findlay 'Teddyv Gueritz was born on 8 September 1919. His father, Elton Laurence Gueritz, was an officer of the Colonial Service, who was based in Africa , and later retired to Cheltenham, and died at the age of 46 in 1931
Edward Gueritz entered Cheltenham College in 1933 as an exhibitioner . On leaving school he joined the Royal Navy as a special entry cadet in 1937. on the 13th April 1938 Gueritz was appointed to HMS Ramillies and promoted to midshipman on 26 April 1938 (with s |
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Gale, Robert | | Able Seaman LC/SIG Robert Gale DSM |
| A signaler in landing craft LCA 10 10, operating on Gold Beach, Gale won an immediate DSM for his ,complete disregard for danger; standing up in the bow of his craft as they came inshore to spot, and sometimes fend off, mined obstructions. His courage inspired all those whose who came into contact with him, not least the troops going ashore. He was already a veteran of the North African and Sicily landings. After the war he returned to his familys bakery business which he eventually took over an |
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Deedes, Lord | | The Rt Hon Lord Deedes KBE MC PC DL (deceased) |
| Perhaps Britains greatest living journalist, who reported the war in Abyssinia in the 1930s and edited the Daily Telegraph from 1974 to 1986 (and is still writing for the paper today), Bill Deedes also had an eventful military career. Commissioned into the Kings Royal Rifle Corps he fought with the same company of motorised infantry from Normandy to VE-Day, ending up in command. His unit was normally attached to an armoured formation and charged with clearing enemy defensive positions that were |
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Martin, P L de C | | Major-General P L de C Martin CBE (deceased) |
| General Peter Martin was born on February 2, 1920 in India, his father was in the Indian Medical Service, was commissioned into the Cheshire Regiment in July 1939 and posted to the 2nd Battalion. On the outbreak of war, September 1939 he went with the 2nd Bn to France with the British Expeditionary Force and in May 1940 took part in the advance into Belgium and the subsequent withdrawal to Dunkirk safely bringing his platoon back to England. In 1941 the Battalion had been transferred from the |
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Bart, Hereward Wake | | Major Sir Hereward Wake Bart MC DL |
| Bearing an historic name, Hereward Wake was a Sandhurst trained regular officer in the Kings Roval Rifle Corps who served with both the BEF in France and in the Western Desert where he seriousIv wounded in 1942. In Normandy, Wake commanded a company of the 2nd Battalion KRRC in the battles south of Caen and at Falaise. After pursuing the retreating Germans over the Seine and up into Holland, Wake was transferred to a staff role, eventually becoming a liaison officer with General Montgomery. Inva |
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Gautier, LeonNO
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| | 1er Maitre Leon Gautier LdH MM CdeG MDLR |
| A Free French Commando, Gautier landed on D-Day at 7.20 with Lord Lovats legendary Special Service Brigade on Sword Beach. Gautiers task with 4th Commando was to clear the beach defences and the strong point at Riva Bella Casino. The Commandos then moved on up to Pegasus Bridge to help defend 6th Airbornes bridgehead. Here they fought a bitter battle against German counter attacks that was to last 77 days. Originally in the Free French Navy; Gautier volunteered for Commando training in 1943, joi |
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Tait, J B Willie | | Group Captain J B Willie Tait DSO*** DFC* ADC (deceased) |
| One of Bomber Commands most outstanding leaders, James Brian -Willie- Tait was one of only two RAF officers who had the distinction of being awarded three Bars to his DSO, as well as a DFC and Bar. On the night before D-Day Tait was the 5 Group Master Bomber directing from the air the massed attack by Lancasters on the German defences in the Cherbourg peninsula. By then Tait had already flown more than 100 bomber sorties with 51, 35, 10 and 78 Squadrons. A Cranwell-trained regular officer, he wa |
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Brothers, Peter | | Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* (deceased) |
| Learnt to fly at the age of 16 and joined the RAF two years later in 1936. He first saw action in 1940 when as a Flight Commander in 32 Squadron, based at Biggin Hill, he flew his Hurricane against the fighters and bombers of the Luftwaffe. He recalls this as an intensely busy period, during which he shot down an Me109 - his first enemy aircraft; by the end of August that same year his tally of enemy aircraft shot down increased to eight. Awarded the DFC, he was transferred to 257 Squadron wh |
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Knights, Bob | | Flt Lieutenant Bob Knights DSO, DFC (deceased) |
| A member of the elite 617 Dambusters squadron, Bob Knights had a key role on the night before D-Day. With the rest of the squadron he flew on Operation Taxable which simulated the approach of the invasion across the Pas de Calais by dropping metal strips of window to a very precise pattern. The enemy was completely deceived and kept most of their best troops on the wrong side of the Seine. Bob Knights had already flown a full operational tour with 619 Squadron Lancasters, including eight trips |
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Ellacombe, John | | Air Commodore John Ellacombe CB DFC* (deceased) |
| John Ellacombe joined the RAF in 1939 and was posted to 151 Squadron in July 1940, immediately converting to Hurricanes. On 24th August he shot down a He111, but a week later his Hurricane was blown up in combat and he baled out, with burns. Rejoining his squadron a few months later, in February 1941 was posted to 253 Squadron where he took part in the Dieppe operations. On 28th July, flying a Turbinlite Havoc, he probably destroyed a Do217. Converting to Mosquitos, John was posted to 487 Sq |
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Rose, Jack | | Wing Commander Jack Rose CMG MBE DFC (deceased) |
| Jack Rose was born on January 18 1917 at Blackheath, London, and was educated at Shooters Hill School before studying Science at University College London where he represented the university at rugby. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve in October 1938, completing his training as a fighter pilot just before the outbreak of war. With the British Expeditionary force under constant air attack, fighter reinforcements were requested and Jack Rose flew one of the Hurricanes sent to Merville to reinfo |
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Valentine, Leslie | | Flying Officer Leslie Valentine CdeG (deceased) |
| Entrusted with one of the RAFs most critical roles on D-Day, Valentine took his 88 Squadron Boston down to between 30 and 50 feet above the D-Day beaches laying smoke to protect the invasion fleet from enemy fire. Above and over his aircraft arched the trajectories of shells from the capital ships of the Royal Navy and the German heavy guns firing back. Before and after D-Day Valentine flew many sorties against tactical targets by both night and day. He flew two tours back to back, 60 operations |
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Crosley, Mike | | Commander Mike Crosley DSC* Royal Navy (deceased) |
| Robert Michael Crosley was born on February 24 1920 , Mike Crosley was a Metropolitan Police constable (a reserved occupation) when war broke out, but volunteered on the day of the Fleet Air Arm strike on Taranto, November 11 1940. Fleet Air Arm Ace Mike Crosley joined the carrier HMS Eagle in late 1941, one of four FAA pilots flying Sea Hurricanes in defence of the Malta convoys, On June 12 he was on alert on the deck of HMS Eagle. After two hours strapped in his cockpit, he was expecting to |
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Gibbs, Roland | | Field Marshal Sir Roland Gibbs GCB CBE DSO MC (deceased) |
| Having already served in both North Africa and Italy, Gibbs arrived in Normandy on D-Day +2. Preparing to cross the River Orne he was wounded and withdrawn but returned to his company in time to storm the bridge over the Somme at Le Long. Commissioned into the 60th Rifles from RMA Sandhurst in 1940 Roland Gibbs had a long and distinguished career in the British Army and was C-in-C UK Land Forces 1974-76. Roland Gibbs died 31st October 2004.
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Bramall, Lord | | Field Marshal Lord Bramall KG GCB OBE MC |
| As a young infantry officer with the Kings Royal Rifle Corps, Bramall landed on Juno Beach on D-Day + 2 and was soon in action against German forces counter attacking north west from Caen. On July 16 he was wounded near Maltot, returning to his battalion in time to see the Falaise pocket closed in August. He was decorated with the MC by Field Marshal Montgomery. He went on to a long and distinguished military career which he completed as Chief of the General Staff from 1979 to 1982. Later he was |
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Carrington, Lord | | The Rt Hon Lord Carrington KG GCMG CH MC PC |
| Eventually to become a much respected Minister of Defence, Peter Carrington started his career as a Sandhurst trained regular officer in the Grenadier Guards. As part of the Guards Armoured Division, with Sherman tanks, he took part in Operation Goodwood in Normandy and then the pursuit of German forces across Europe including Operation Market Garden in which he commanded the daring tank dash across Nijmegen Bridge. After the winter battles in Holland and Germany, he was involved in the Rhine cr |
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Wood, David J | | Colonel David J Wood MBE (deceased) |
| Lieutenant David Wood was born on the 23rd February 1923. He was posted to D Company in 1942, and he was received with a mild degree of apprehension by the commnading officer Major John Howard, who thought the 19 year old was 'a bit too young for the toughies in my company'. Yet Wood was full of enthusiasm and so Howard gave him No.24 Platoon to command, which was blessed with experienced NCO's, and there were no problems. Lt David Wood was one of the Platoon commanders of Major H |
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Todd, Richard | | Captain Richard Todd OBE (deceased) |
| Later a world famous actor - with a key role as Major John Howard in the D-Day film The Longest Day - Richard Todd jumped into Normandy with 7th Para at 0040 hours on June 6th 1944. Their immediate task was to support the holding of Pegasus Bridge against fierce German counterattacks. Originally commissioned into the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, he was seconded to The Parachute Regiment in 1943. In Normandy he transferred to 6th Airborne HO on D-Day +5 and stayed with them until September |
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+ Artist : Michael Turner | | SOLD
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