Carl Shilleto - Merville Battery & The Dives Bridges

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.

Much has been written about the D-Day landings of the British 6th Airborne Division over the years. This work, originally titled Pegasus Bridge & Merville Battery , was the first to be commissioned that extensively guided the battlefield visitor to the exact locations and tells the story, in depth, using the words of so many veterans. Now, the work has been extensively revised and updated and divided into two works; the second titled Pegasus Bridge & Horsa Bridge . For this opportunity I would first like to thank the Chief Executive, Charles Hewitt, Editorial Manager, Brigadier Henry Wilson and Series Design Manager, Roni Wilkinson, also Jonathan Wilkinson and Jonathan Wright, of Pen & Sword Books Ltd.

My gratitude also to: The Airborne Assault Normandy Trust who have provided me with so much information in the course of my research. My most sincere thanks to the Patron of the Trust, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales KG KT GCB OM, for his endorsement of my work; also to Lieutenant General Sir Michael Gray KCB OBE DL FI MGT F Inst D, Lieutenant Colonel Joe Poraj-Wilczynski, Major Jack Watson MC and Major Mike McRitchie MC for their support, invaluable assistance and advice with proofs.

I would also like to extend my thanks to the following: all the staff and workers, past and present, at the Muse de la Batterie de Merville including: Military Historian, Curator and fellow battlefield guide Tony Lea for sharing his knowledge of the Parachute Regiment and for providing the use of the museum, and his own, extensive archives; Archivist and battlefield guide Mike Woodcock; Monsieur Michael More, Pascaline Dagorn, Stphanie, Cline, Nathalie, Elisa and Morgane who have always made my visits there most welcoming.

Thanks also to the Curator of the Muse Mmorial Pegasus Mark Worthington, Director Beatrice Boissee, Assistant Curator Nicolas Dumont and Martin Janssen, Saudrine Gabrol, Pascal Crespin, Rolande Vimond and Halima Fringaut.

The staff at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) for their tireless work in tending and preserving the war cemeteries in Normandy and for answering all of my numerous enquiries, in particular Barry Murphy, Roy Hemington, Christine Woodhouse, Chris Hawes Nigel Haines and Peter Francis; Peter Hart at The Imperial War Museum for the use of their sound archives; Eddie Hannath MBE of the Normandy Veterans Association; Beverley H. Davies at The Royal British Legion; and staff at the Public Records Office (now National Archives) in Kew, the Airborne Forces Museum in Aldershot, and the French Tourist Office in London and Caen.

I would also like to acknowledge the overwhelming hospitality and friendship I have received from many of the local people in Normandy who have always made my many visits there all the more worthwhile and enjoyable. Thanks to Delphine Bautmans, Pascaline Dagorn, Patrick Elie, Corinne Hamon (ne Lecourt), Marc Jacquinot, Christian Keller, Patrig Lagadu, Lionel Laplaise, Daniela Lemerre, Grard Maillard, Patrick Moutafis, William Moutafis and Alan Soreau. Thanks also to the many expatriates who also make my visits all the more welcoming, particularly to fellow battlefield guide and historian Stuart Robertson and his wife Jenny for their hospitality, friendship and company in the many hours shared walking the battlefields.

For my appeals I would like to thank the staff at Channel 4s Service Pals Teletext Service, Editor John Elliot and Chris Kinsville-Heynes from Soldier Magazine, Colonel K. Coates Editor of The Pegasus Journal , Robert Beaumont of The Yorkshire Evening Press (now The Press ) and Mike Laycock, also thanks to the secretaries of several regimental associations and Ken Wintle for the use of his extensive appeal database.

As always, the most interesting and rewarding part of this type of research is gained through interviews and correspondence with the veterans themselves. To hear their firsthand accounts of the events, and on occasion escort them around the Normandy battlefield; often concluding with a visit to the War Cemetery at Ranville so that they may pay their respects to their fallen comrades, has been, and always will be, a great privilege. Overwhelmed by the response to my appeals, I must apologise to those whose anecdotes I have not been able to use because of the inevitable editorial restrictions.

Thanks to the many veterans and their families who have kindly loaned valuable documents or photographs. A few I would like to mention, who have helped specifically with this work, are: R. Daeche, R. Deller, Peggy and Mary Eckert and family of Cyril and Stan Eckert, Denis Edwards, Major Ellis Dean MBE MC, Ted George, Major John Howard DSO, David Dai King, Bill McConnell, H. Pegg, Edward Pool MC, Brigadier G. Proudman CBE MC, family of John Rollingson, James Sanders, family of Peter Sanderson, Maurice Segal, Ray Shuck and family, Norman Stocker, Ernie Stringer, Richard Todd, Major N. Ward, Major Jack Watson MC, Harry White and family of George White, Charlie Willbourne and Major Anthony Windrum,

Thanks also to Don Mason, who passed away before the completion of my manuscript for the first edition of my book Pegasus Bridge & Merville Battery back in 1999, and I offer my condolences to his family. Sadly, many other veterans, some who became very close friends, mentioned in this acknowledgement have also passed away in the time leading up to this extensively revised and updated new edition; and the accompanying work Pegasus Bridge & Horsa Bridge . While their company and presence is sorely missed, their memory lives on as strong as ever. I hope this work helps to preserve some of that memory for posterity.

Others who have assisted or provided valuable information are Rev. Neil Allison, David Ashe, Neil Barber, Ted Barwick, Tom Buttress, Captain R. Clark, Lt Cdr W. N. Entwisle RN, Lt Cdr John Lavery RN, Cheryl Hamilton, Paul Harlow, Helen Hartley, Mark Hickman, Al Jones, Michiels Kris, William J. Lewis Platt, Major Will Mackinlay SCOTS DG, Paul McTiernan, Capt G. M. Timms, Angus Newbould, Doug Oxspring, Keith Petvin-Scudamore, Paul Reed, Victoria Raynor, Carl Rymen, Paul van Rynen, Chris Summerville.

Thanks to Dave Popplewell for sharing his extensive knowledge on German and British vehicles, weapons and unit formations, and for his generous assistance in proof reading and checking of statistics. Thanks to Lance McCoubrey for help with maps and sketches and to the late Lieutenant Colonel Sir James Stormonth Darling CBE MC TD for his advice. Also to my late dear friend military historian, author and former Associate Professor, Charles Whiting; for sharing his unquestionable knowledge of the Second World War and his literary skills. Thanks also to other friends who have been supportive of my work.

Special thanks, and love, go to my family: to my daughters Michaela and Hannah for their interest and curiosity in their fathers work. They have both made wonderful travelling companions around the battlefields over the years. Thanks also to them for putting up with a dad whose head seems forever submerged in papers, books or behind a camera lens. Last, but by no means least, to my other half, Irena, for her patience, interest, help and hours of tireless proof reading during my research and writing; and without whose constant support and help, I would not be able to complete any of the many projects I undertake.

Any errors in the text are mine alone, and if anyone can provide any further information or photographs about any individuals, veterans or places relating to the 6th Airborne Division in Normandy, please forward any details to fallenheroes@btinternet.com. Please add 6 Ab Div as the subject title.