OPERATION

Sir Colin Thornton-Kernsley is identified as author from the first of the pamphlet's seven appendices ('Eastern Command | List of officers principally concerned with plans for the mounting of Overlord'), where he is described as: 'Chairman: AQMG(Ops) Lt. Col. C. N. Thornton Kernsley MP-RA'.

Dempsey's obituary in The Times, explains how 'In April, 1945, he was appointed Brigadier I/C Administration, East Africa Command', holding the position into the following year, and retiring in December 1947 on account of ill health. For a full account of Dempsey's military career, see his entry in Catholic Who's Who, vol.35 (1952). In an eight-line Autograph Note Signed at the end of Anderson's letter, Dempsey states that Anderson 'had been my personal & immediate superior as G.O.C. in C., East Africa Command, when I was his Brigadier I/C Administration.

1p., 12mo. A frail survival of a historic document, aged, worn and stained, with slight loss to one corner. On reverse, in blue pencil, with illegible signature: 'No Report for 30th'. The document is headed 'SUPREME HEADQUARTERS | ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE', followed by the insignia. The address begins: 'Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! | You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.

1p., 4to. With a firm expansive signature which is certainly not duplicated, as it has indented the paper. On letterhead with design showing golden flagpole with flag in red with four white stars. Schwarzkopf declines to participate in what he describes as Pitt's 'momentous undertaking', explaining: 'To write such a piece and do so properly requires considerable time.

The present diary is of some significance, presenting a first-hand account by a British officer of the Anglo-American 'Run for Tunis' that followed Operation Torch - the invasion of French North Africa in November 1942. It marks Eisenhower's first campaign following his appointment as Commanding General, European Theater of Operations. Four years before the writing of the two letters present here Jones and Pitt had collaborated in the publication of Jones's book 'Operation Torch' (1972), which Pitt (1918-2006) edited for a series first published by the American firm Bannatine.