[John Counsell: the man who drafted the Second World War instrument of German surrender.] Typed Note Signed to Christopher Fry, with Typed Letter Signed to him from ‘Edward’ (Sir Edward Ford?), conveying a message to Fry from Queen Elizabeth II.

Counsell, Ford and Fry all have entries in the Oxford DNB, that of Counsell noting that he was ‘assistant to Neville Grazebrook and composed the instrument of German surrender, signed at Rheims by General Jodl, which officially ended the war’. The two items are in good condition, lightly aged and creased from folding. Counsell’s TNS is stapled to the TLS from ‘Edward’, which is laid down on a leaf of ruled paper, at the head of which Fry has written: ‘Letter from John Counsell / re possible visit of H.M. The Queen to “Lady’s Not for Burning”’. ONE: Counsell’s TNS. 1p, landscape 12mo slip, with letterhead in form of poster for the Windsor Theatre Company at left. Reads (with salutation and valediction in Counsell’s autograph): ‘My dear Kit / The enclosed came this morning. Alas! But it was worth a try. / Yours / John.’ TWO: TLS by ‘Edward’ (presumably Sir Edward William Spencer Ford, who was Assistant Private Secretary to the sovereign from 1946 to 1967). 1p, 4to. As with Item One, salutation and valediction in the autograph of ‘Edward’. He has shown the queen Counsell’s letter of 8 November, and ‘Her Majesty has noted that you are doing Christopher Fry’s “The Lady’s Not for Burning” for a fortnight from 15th November, but very much regrets that she does not see how she will have an opportunity to see it.’ She wishes Counsell ‘a successful run’, and hopes that it will ‘help to encourage Mr. Fry to go on writing for the theatre’. From the Christopher Fry papers.