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Auction: 13001 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 5

The Outstanding Second War ´P.O.W. and Partisan´s´ M.B.E., 1940 ´Retreat to Dunkirk´ M.C., and Commando´s 1941 ´Litani River Raid´ Second Award Bar Group of Nine to Lieutenant E.F. Garland, York and Lancaster Regiment, attached ´C´ Battalion, ´Layforce´ (11th Scottish Commando); Who Was The First to Cross the Litani River, Where He Undertook a Personal Duel With a Sniper and a 75mm Gun. Having Joined the Royal Air Force as a Pilot, His Spitfire Was Shot Down Over the Cassino Battle Area, 4.5.1944; Garland Was Taken P.O.W., and Despite Suffering Burns to His Hands and a Wound to His Leg, He Escaped From a Hospital Train Bound For Germany; Evading Recapture He Joined The Partizans and Fought With Them at Vasto di Sotto, Before Returning to Allied Lines in January 1945
a) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Military Division, Member´s (M.B.E.) breast Badge, silver
b) Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ´1940´, with Second Award Bar, reverse officially dated ´1941´
c) 1939-1945 Star
d) Africa Star, with North Africa 1942-43 bar
e) Italy Star
f) Defence and War Medals
g) Africa General Service 1902-56, E.II.R., one clasp, Kenya (NE.5424 C.I. (R). E.F. Garland.)
h) Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., with ´Territorial´ scroll suspension (F/Lt. E.F. Garland. M.B.E. M.C. R.A.F.), generally good very fine, with the following contemporary related items:
- R.A.F Pilot´s Flying Log Book, covering the period 27.3.1942 - 31.8.1952
- Scrap Book, leather bound, compiled by the recipient, containing photographs, newspaper cuttings; a congratulatory letter from Admiral Sir Walter Henry ´Tich´ Cowan, dated 5.9.1941; two Air Ministry Letters relating to Garland being ´Missing in Action´; Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel J.P.D. Blaauw, Officer Commanding 208 Squadron to recipient´s father, dated 7.5.1944; Buckingham Palace Condolence Enclosure on the ´Death´ of recipient, addressed to his father; Letter from Captain J.H. Bevan, Royal Artillery to Garland´s parents, dated 27.4.1945; Air Ministry Letter informing recipient´s father that Garland has been found alive, dated 10.5.1945 (lot)

M.B.E. London Gazette 7.1.1947 Flight Lieutenant Eric Francis Garland, M.C. (47293), Royal Air Force, No 208 Squadron
´Flight Lieutenant Garland´s aircraft was shot down over Frosinone in Italy on 4th May, 1944. He was immediately captured and sent to a hospital at Acre. In spite of his wounds, this officer made three attempts to escape from a hospital at Mantova in May, 1944. He collected a store of medical materials and retrieved his battledress. Twice he was caught by sentries while climbing through a window. The third time, after sliding down a laundry chute, he was captured while trying to saw through a door. In June, 1944, Flight Lieutenant Garland jumped from a hospital train near Verona. After two days he made contact with some friendly Italians, with whom he stayed for two months. In August, 1944, he set out with the intention of joining some Italian partizans. He walked for three days, but owing to a leg injury he was forced to take refuge with another Italian family. In January, 1945, Flight Lieutenant Garland left these people, his leg having finally healed, and reached the American lines at Solarolo in the Po Valley.´

M.C. London Gazette 20.12.1940 Second Lieutenant Eric Francis Garland, The York and Lancaster Regiment
The Recommendation states: ´At Watou on May 28 1940 during a very intense bombing raid showed conspicuous bravery by entering a bombed and burning house while the raid was at its height and carried out 4750206 Private Nicholson to a place of safety. He at once returned and rescued two military policemen who had been wounded, and bound up their wounds. Private Nicholson died shortly afterwards. Heavy bombing was taking place while Second Lieutenant Garland was engaged in this rescue work.
The previous day this same officer carried out a reconnaissance under machine gun fire on a motor cycle at Wormhoudt and was able to guide his unit transport on a safe route.´

M.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 21.10.1941 Lieutenant Eric Francis Garland, M.C. (105605), The York and Lancaster Regiment
The Recommendation (originally for a D.S.O.), given by Colonel Laycock, states: ´Litani River (Syria) 9-10 June 1941. Lieutenant Garland displayed throughout the action cool and clear-headed leadership and complete disregard for his own personal safety. He was the first individual to cross the river and personally led the party which cut out the enemy wire on the far side under heavy fire. On one occasion by deliberately exposing himself he personally drew the fire of a sniper who was causing severe casualties and, on locating the enemy position, Lieutenant Garland manned one of his Bren Guns and shot the sniper. Lieutenant Garland also put out of action a 75 Gun, which was covering the river, by accurate fire from a captured anti Tank Gun.´

Flight Lieutenant Eric Francis Garland, M.B.E., M.C., born London, 1920; educated at Whitgift School; joined 163 O.C.T.U., 2.9.1939, and initially served in the Artists Rifles; commissioned Second Lieutenant, 6th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment, 18.11.1939; served with the regiment as part of the 138th Infantry Brigade, 46th Infantry Division, B.E.F. in France, and was present during the retreat to Dunkirk; Garland distinguished himself at Wormhoudt, on the Dunkirk to Cassel road, 27.5.1940, and at Watou where he rescued three men from a burning ammunition store (not a burning house, as listed in M.C. citation), 28.5.1940; on the 31st May the 6th Battalion were tasked with holding three bridges over the Canal des Moëres at Teteghem; Second Lieutenants Garland, Nelson and Milne were each given a bridge to defend with the orders that they were to ´be held at all costs´; Garland held his position until late into the evening of the 2nd June; he then retreated with his men to the beaches of Dunkirk, and was one of the last to be evacuated on the Medway Queen (paddle steamer), 3.6.1940; one of her paddles broke during the voyage, and it took her seven hours to reach Ramsgate.

11th (Scottish Commando) - Pedder, Keyes, Mayne et al
Shortly after returning from Dunkirk, Garland volunteered for service with the newly formed No. 11 (Scottish) Commando; after undergoing rigorous training in the wilds of Scotland under the command of Dick Pedder, ´No. 11 (Scottish) Commando, No. 7 Commando and No. 8 Commando set sail from the Isle of Arran [31.1.1941] on board the three ´Glen´ ships; H.M.S. Glenearn, H.M.S. Glenroy and H.M.S. Glengyle. Five Troops from No. 11 (Scottish) Commando were on board the Glenroy with Dick Pedder, and were accompanied by No. 8 Commando. The remaining five Troops were aboard the Glengyle under the command of Geoffrey Keyes and accompanied by No. 7 Commando... The three Commando units aboard the Glengyle and the Glenroy were combined together into what was known as Force "Z", under the command of Lt. Col. R.E. Laycock, Royal Horse Guards, who prior to his appointment had been the commanding officer of No. 8 Commando. For security reasons the three commando units Nos. 7, 8 and 11 were renamed A, B, and C Battalions, "Layforce" respectively´ (Litani Rive, by I. McHarg refers); the ´Glen´ ships had been specially converted to accommodate the amphibious role of the commandos, with the Glengyle capable of carrying 700 military personnel as well as 12 Assault Landing Craft and 2 Motor Landing Craft; the commandos arrived in the Middle East at Geneifa on the Great Bitter Lake, 11.3.1941; stationed at the latter they carried out mock raids in desert conditions and received a visit from General Wavell (G.O.C. Middle East); C Battalion was initially lined up with A Battalion to take part in the Bardia Raid, however much to Pedder´s men´s disappointment they were to miss out and ´on 24th April Laycock informed Pedder that C Battalion were being deployed to Cyprus to carry out Garrison duties before being used independently for up and coming operations in Syria; it was on that same day the unit resumed its original title: No. 11 (Scottish Commando)´ (ibid); Garland arrived at Famagusta, Cyprus, 30.4.1941, and with individuals such as "Paddy" Mayne continued to train for imminent operations.

Action At Last
On the 31st May Pedder and two other officers from the unit received urgent orders to proceed by air to Palestine, ´After reporting to Palestine Force HQ they checked into their hotels before attending a conference at 1800hrs, where Pedder was briefed by the Commander of the Australian 21 Infantry Brigade on the part that the Commando was to play in the forthcoming operation. On the 3rd June while Pedder was still in Palestine, a coded message was sent to the Commando in Cyprus, ordering them to prepare on two destroyers at Famagusta at 0300hrs on the 4th June... On receipt of the news Captain Robin Farmiloe burst into a cafe where some of the officers were having tea and shouted at them to get their men ready to embark within four hours... Assembled at the quay from 0100hrs on the morning of 4th June the commandos, trying to grab some sleep where ever they could, waited impatiently for the two destroyers to dock in the port. Eventually at 0540hrs, and just back from the evacuation of Crete, the bombed and battered Destroyers Rex and Hotspur were docked... By 0625hrs, after Captain Farmiloe had ensured that all 25 officers and 431 other ranks were aboard; the officers and men of No. 11 (Scottish) Commando under the Command of Geoffrey Keyes left the shores of Cyprus´ (ibid).

Operation Exporter
Pedder rejoined his men at Port Said, 5.6.1941, having received orders to take part in the invasion of Vichy controlled Syria and Lebanon; the invading force included the 7th Australian Division, 5th Indian Infantry Brigade Group and the 1st Free French Division; operating as part of the 7th Division, No. 11 (Scottish) Commando were formed up with the 21st Australian Infantry Brigade; the latter under the command of Brigadier Stevens was to cross the frontier in the early hours of the 8th June and to advance and capture the coastal city of Tyre, ´For the first phase of the operation Steven´s sector ran from the sea at Ras en Naquora eastwards for 25 miles following a line of lofty, rugged hills into which the only entrance for motor vehicles was the coast road. Steven´s problem in the coastal sector was also greatly complicated by the likelihood that the defenders would demolish the roads and bridges ahead of him; particularly the road a few miles north of Ras en Naquora, and the Qasmiye Bridge over the Litani River. The enemy was known to be holding the line of the Litani River which runs south before turning west into the Mediterranean.´

Battle of the Litani River
The Commandos were to ´co-ordinate with the 21st Brigade´s attack on the river position by carrying out an amphibious assault landing from the sea near the mouth of the river. Once ashore their task was to secure the north and south banks of the river, and prevent the demolition of the Qasmiye Bridge that crossed it, allowing Steven´s Brigade to advance towards Beirut engaging the enemy in the process. The advancing forces were to be supported by gunfire from naval vessels offshore, including the anti-aircraft cruiser H.M.S. Coventry and the destroyers Ilex, Isis, Hotspur and Hero. Air support was provided by a number of air force squadrons´; the Commando embarked on the Glengyle on the 6th of June, and set sail with escort form Port Said the following day; Pedder had not been provided with intelligence on the proposed beach landing sites and there was a serious lack of well scaled maps on the coast, ´this lack of intelligence caused the Senior Naval Officer to send his Senior Beach Master, Lt. Potter, RN to Haifa in H.M.S. Hero, to obtain information on the landing site. Aboard the motor-boat Gadwell, Lt. Potter and Sub-Lt. F.H. Colenut, RNR, carried out a reconnaissance of the coast in the early hours of the 7th June. This reconnaissance showed that heavy surf was running at an average distance of 300 yards from the beach as a result of ground swell, and that during the next two days the prospect of landing without considerable loss was not good. It was however, decided to make an attempt the following morning, 8th June.´

A False Start - Try Again In The Morning!
The Glengyle arrived in the early hours of the 8th June four miles west of the Litani River mouth, ´Eleven Amphibious Landing Craft were lowered into the water with the commandos packed into them. As the last of the men were boarding the craft, Potter and Colenut arrived... Potter expressed that in his opinion the surf was so bad that the flat bottomed landing craft would roll over if they attempted to make a beaching... The Senior Naval Officer had delegated overall responsibility as to whether the boats could be beached or not, to Captain Petrie RN of the Glengyle... Petrie decided that because the ALCs that were being used were not suitable to be used in surf and would capsize before reaching the beach, the operation could not be undertaken. This view was not shared by Dick Pedder who argued that the risk was worth taking in order to maintain the element of surprise, especially as the Glengyle was visible in the moonlight and that the enemy would be aware of its presence. Nevertheless, Petrie had overall control of the situation, and no sooner had the men got settled into the ALCs than they were given the order to disembark. With some difficulty, due to the ship moving around in the swell, the craft were re-hoisted back on the Glengyle. With all safely embarked the ship and its cargo of disgruntled commandos set sail back to Port Said. Arriving at 1500hrs later that day, the men stayed on board while Pedder and More went straight to a conference aboard H.M.S. Rex. Within an hour they were back on board and the operation was back on. To the disbelief of most on board, the Glengyle set sail at once at 1615hrs.´

Plan of Attack
The Commando was to land from the Glengyle at dawn and attack the enemy position from the flank; for this purpose three parties were formed and ALCs allotted to them: "X" Party - to be the Forward Troops, comprising of Nos. 2, 3 (of which Garland was a member) and 9 Troops under the command of Major G.C.T. Keyes; "Y" Party - Reserve Troops, comprising of Nos. 1, 7 and 8 Troops under the command of Lt. Col. R.R.N. Pedder and "Z" Party - Additional Reserve, comprising of 4 and 10 Troops under the command of Captain G.R.M.H. More; whilst the commandos were travelling back the Australian advance was well under way, and they had captured the city of Tyre by 5pm 8th June; the Glengyle arrived at 0300hrs 9/10th June, ´with the full moon silhouetting the Glengyle on the horizon, "X" Party... were formed up in four landing craft by 0325hrs. Keyes had received orders from Dick Pedder to attack the positions and barracks due east of Aitenyie Farm and hold the enemy on as wide a front as possible. The party set for the shore under the command of the Royal Navy´s Lt. Collar. With the morning sun due to rise to their fronts Collar had the responsibility of getting the party to the correct landing point on the shore. However, with day break more than an hour away, and a lack of aerial photographs showing the mouth of the river of the coastline, Collar soon experienced difficulties in finding the correct landing site, resulting in the party being landed at 0450hrs, approximately a mile to the south of the desired landing point, and on the wrong side of the river´ (ibid); fortunately the landing was unopposed, and Keyes records their next steps, ´By then it was light enough to see the masts of the feluccas in the river mouth, and I realised that we were south of the river, I at once issued orders to advance with "A" Section, No. 2 Troop, under Lt. T.I. Robinson, Gordon Highlanders, leading, with the river as the first objective. We advanced along the beach, deployed just below the crest and passed through "C" Company, 2/16 Australian Infantry Battalion, who were waiting to support the attack north of the river. The Company Commander was very surprised to see us, but said he would lend me some of his seven boats, which he had moved up with some of his men and with my reserve.´

Advance To The River - Hot Work
As the advanced troops reached the river bank at about 0510hrs, ´a red Verey Light, signalling S.O.S., was fired from a redoubt on the far bank. Immediately the entire beach from where they had landed, right up to within yards of the river came under heavy and sustained fire from 75mm guns, mortars and heavy machine guns, from the direction of the main ridge to the north-east. As heavy fire rained down on the party they were pinned to the ground, and several casualties were taken, mainly by accurate sniper fire from a knoll on the opposite bank and from enemy positions to the north. A Section of No. 3 Troop under Captain George Highland and Lt. Eric Garland succeeded in working forward on the right of No. 2 Troop before getting held up again. The area on the approach to the river from the south side was flat and open ground which offered very little cover for the advancing commandos making progress not only slow but extremely treacherous´; Keyes´ Diary offers further insight, ´We all go to ground, as 75mm guns, 81mm mortars, and heavy machine-guns all firing very accurately. George Highland, Davidson and self behind substantial bush and low bank. Extremely unpleasant. Davidson moves about 30 yards to right, but gets pinned behind low bush by snipers in wired post on far side of river. Very accurate fire. Padbury, Jones, Woodnutt killed, Wilkinson badly wounded. George and Eric [Garland] as cool as cucumbers take most of 3 Troop about 60 yards to right flank. Can get no further, as open ground.´

A Duel With A Sniper & First Across The River
Whilst the commandos progress ground to a halt men of the 2/16 AIB brought a boat forward to the south bank for the commandos to use for the river crossing; Keyes took over 30 minutes to advance by a mixture of crawling and sprinting to reach Highland´s position, and ´upon reaching their position he found George Highland and Eric Garland engaged in a high risk method of drawing sniper´s fire, which was inflicting many casualties. Garland, exposing himself to the sniper, drew his fire, and once located, shot him with his Bren gun... with the sniper taken care off and during a brief lull in the firing Eric Garland, Cpl Southall, Sig. Reed, Pte. Hughes and three other men from No. 3 Troop, climbed into the boat that had been brought forward by LCpl Dilworth and his men from C Company. With the boat positioned out of the line of sight of the redoubt LCpl. Dilworth and Pte. Archibald coolly ferried the commandos across the fast flowing river, which was approximately 30-40 yards wide´; Keyes continues ´No. 3 Troop were still 200 yards from the river until about 0930hrs when our artillery ranged onto the redoubt. This allowed me to move with Captain Highland and Lt. Garland, about 20 men of Nos. 2 and 3 Troops, and the boat, to the rushes of the south bank. There seemed to be a lull, and we were out of sight of the redoubt, Lt. Garland and six of his men, and two Australians got across the river at approximately 1000hrs, and the Australians brought back the boat. We were pinned down for one and a half hours by MG fire and what we thought to be a mortar fire. Actually it was later found to be a 75mm gun on the high ground´; on the north side of the river Garland and his men were engaged in cutting the wire surrounding the redoubt in preparation for a direct attack on the position, ´sensing an attack was imminent the enemy soon indicated that they were willing to surrender to the advancing commandos... With Garland and Highland´s party securing the ground around the redoubt and tentatively taking up positions on the north side of the river... At about 1300hrs... Garland and Highland´s men clearing the enemy position on the north side. However, despite the success of crossing the river and taking the redoubt, the job was far from done and this was emphasised to Keyes by men from No. 2 Troop as they came forward to cross the river. As they approached they informed him that Sgt. Burton, LCpl Lang and Cohen were all dead on the river bank to the left, and that several of the Troop were wounded... In the process of taking the redoubt, six enemy soldiers were killed and thirty-five prisoners were taken, and fearing a counter-attack, Highland did not waste any time in organising the defence of the position... With no significant advance being made by the Australians, Geoffrey Keyes took all his remaining men over the river using the boat, sending it back with the prisoners captured in the redoubt. Efforts to take the enemy position had resulted in considerable casualties for the party. As many of the Bren guns and their crews had been lost on the south bank of the river, Keyes made full use of the weapons captured in the heavily fortified redoubt... among the captured weapons and ammunition were a 25mm anti-tank gun and limber; a 37.5mm Pack mountain gun; two heavy Hotchkiss machine guns; six light machine guns; about forty rifles and several thousand rounds... By about 1330hrs "X" Party had located the gun that was firing down the river, and using the 25mm anti-tank gun captured in the redoubt, Lt. Garland turned it around and fired at the enemy´s position, putting the offending gun out of action with only 7 rounds... The Australians continued to cross the river and take up positions around the redoubt, and at 1800hrs Keyes handed over responsibility for its defence to C Company of 2/16 Infantry Battalion, the whole of which was across the river by 1900hrs.´ Keyes reported the closing stages of the operation thus, ´next morning the 10th we saw through our glasses the French in Aiteniye surrender... and at 1200hrs I was ordered to withdraw leaving the redoubt to the Australians´; the Commando headed south and by 2300hrs they were concentrated in the transit camp at Haifa, ´as Operation Exporter continued and the Allies advanced north towards Beirut, the Commando set sail for Cyprus at 1850hrs on 14th June, arriving in Famagusta at 0700hrs the following morning. Of the 456 men who had assembled on the same quay eleven days earlier, 130 had been killed or wounded in just over 29 hours of fighting´; despite suffering heavy casualties, including Pedder who was killed leading his men, the Commando had achieved their overall objective of seizing and holding the enemy position long enough for the Australian Brigade to cross the river and pass through the position; with the death of Pedder, Keyes became the unit´s commanding officer; the 11th (Scottish) Commando returned to Cyprus; both Keyes and Laycock asked Garland to stay on to take part in the proposed Rommel Raid (which would cost Keyes his life and lead to the award of a posthumous V.C.); however in the meantime Garland had applied to join the Royal Air Force; wishing to become a fighter pilot his papers came through and he transferred for training.

Fighter Pilot - Per Ardua Ad Astra
Garland was posted for pilot training to No. 26 Elementary F.T.S., Southern Rhodesia, March 1942; during this time he carried out his training with Ian Smith (later Prime Minister of Rhodesia); Garland carried out further training at No. 22 S.F.T.S., Thornhill, gaining his ´Wings´ in August 1942; posted for conversion to Hurricanes to No. 74 O.T.U., Aqir, Palestine, February 1943; having converted he was posted for operational flying to 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron (Hurricanes), Egypt, April 1943; the squadron carried out operations over the Western Desert, primarily shipping patrols and interceptions; within the first week of flying, 12.4.1943, he had to carry out a forced landing due to ´Engine Failure´ (Log Book refers); posted to 208 Squadron (Hurricanes), Iraq, June 1943; flew on tactical reconnaissance sorties throughout the desert fighting; Flight Lieutenant 24.11.1943.

POW And Partisan
The squadron re-equipped with Spitfires, January 1944, and Garland moved with it to Italy, March 1944; throughout March and April he carried out Sweeps and Tactical Reconnaissances, including 4.4.1944, ´Two targets recorded straffed gun in position´, 17.4.1944, ´Two targets recorded one gunpit hit large explosion. 88´s located and apple pied´ and 21.4.1944, ´20 + 109s and F.W.´s bombed Lancino causing 300 casualties. Passed us on way back´; he carried out reconnaissances of the Battle area of Cassino before being shot down, 4.5.1944, ´Cassino, Sore, Frosinone. Shot Down Over Frosinone. Hit By 20mm, Fuel System. Aircraft Caught Fire, Bailed Out 300ft. Taken Prisoner By The Germans. Sustained Wound Left Leg. Splintered Tibia. Slight Burns Hands and Face´ his Log Book continues, ´July 27th Jumped Hospital Train At Night Enroute Munich, Walked From Verona To Lake Garda (3 Days) Lived With Italians. Aug 10th Attempted To Get Back Through Lines Walked From Lake Garda To Cremona. On River Po. Wound Became Infected. Found Refuge With Italians. April ´45 Joined Partisans. Took Part In One Action At Vasto Di Sotto, 77 Germans Killed, Captured, Wounded, Own Casualties, 3 Killed 2 Wounded. May 2 Rejoined Squadron at Villafranca´; Garland´s C.O. wrote the following to his parents, ´Your son had to bale out, and it is established by the evidence of the pilot who was flying another aircraft with him that your son´s parachute opened successfully, and was seen descending slowly, unfortunately behind enemy lines.

Your son had just taken over a Flight and I had the fullest confidence in him as a Flight Commander and as a pilot. His steadiness, professional ability, unassuming leadership and courage were a great asset to me, and to the whole Squadron. His fine Army record is one of which, with you, we are all very proud. There is no more popular member of the Mess than your son, and each one of us shares in some respect at least in your anxiety. It is my earnest hope that such anxiety will be speedily allayed, and again I assure you that anything learned will be notified to you in the quickest possible manner´; having gone through the allotted period of time and hearing no further information with regard to Garland the Air Ministry informed his father that he was to be declared dead; Garland, however, had other ideas and penned the following 9.8.1944:

´Dear Mother & Father,

Here is a brief account of what has happened during the past three months. I was brought down by anti-aircraft fire on the Cassino front just before the push on May 4th. A 20mm shell hit some part of the fuel system and the plane caught fire immediately and I had to bale out some 40 miles over the line.

My hands were burnt and my left leg hit by a splinter making a fairly large flesh wound on my left shin. I was taken prisoner immediately on reaching the ground and spent 7 weeks in hospital at Mantover. I made three unsuccessful attempts to escape from there, but finally managed to escape from the hospital train to Germany on June 17th by jumping out of the window at night, the sentry was dozing. From then until now I have been hiding in the Verona area near Lake di Garda waiting for my leg to heal, my hands are quite ok. I have lived most of the time in the open; the Italian people have been extremely kind and helpful in providing food, civilian clothing, etc., and a Doctor has attended me in spite of the death penalty.

I change to the present tense now. Tonight I am setting out across the Po Valley to Parma and from there I shall make my way through the mountains towards the front and when the line breaks I shall get through somehow. The front at the moment is the line of the Arno River, Pisa, Florence, Arezzo. Switzerland is out and I am in an exposed position here.

In case I have the misfortune to be recaptured I am writing this letter so that you will know my movements. An Italian is going to bury it in a bottle to give to an Allied Soldier when they arrive. I am also giving letters addressed to AMGOT to the people who helped me so it should be possible to keep track of me. If you don´t hear from me for some time don´t worry, I shall be giving the Jerries a pain in the neck wherever I am.

Your loving son,
Eric´

Extraordinarily this letter found its way into the hands of Captain J.H. Bevan, 8/22 Battery, Royal Artillery some 8 months later, and he duly forwarded it to Garland´s parents with the following accompanying letter:

´Dear Mr. & Mrs. Garland,

We have just arrived in this area and one of the local Italians gave me this letter. He also gave me one which your son wrote to the AMGOT authorities saying how well treated and cared for he had been whilst staying with this Italian family. I don´t suppose we shall be staying here long as the chase is still on, and it´s quite exciting but I shall ensure that this letter reaches AMGOT.´

True to his word Garland fought his way through and reached American lines at Solarolo, January 1945 reporting back to his unit, on the 2nd May 1945; his family was informed of his re-appearance 8 days later; Garland returned to the UK, and was posted to 17 S.F.T.S., Spitalgate, April 1946; he undertook a refresher course at Coleby Grange, August 1946, before being posted as Flight Commander to 691 Squadron (Spitfires and Martinets), Exeter, October 1946; whilst serving with the latter, 28.1.1947, ´Practice Escort For Royal Family Sailing Aboard H.M.S. Vanguard To South Africa´ and 24.8.1947, ´Last Trip In My Own Spit´ (Log Book refers); after the War he joined British European Airways (BEA) as a commercial pilot, and moved to Kenya in 1948; Garland was based here at the start of the Mau Mau Rebellion and immediately joined the Air Wing of the Police Force; he flew Rapide, Messenger and Bonanza aircraft; he later became a pilot for Manx Airlines, before retiring in 1985, at the age of 65.

Sold for
£32,000