About this lot

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Military history, Second World War, 5-page manuscript letter signed by Brigadier Thomas ("Tommy") Collins (1905-99) recording the surrender of German forces on 4 May 1945, sent from Germany to his sister Dorothy at Ashdon Hall near Saffron Walden. Brigadier Collins, of the Green Howards, was Director of Movements for Operation Overlord, the D-Day Normandy landings. He was a key figure in the planning of Operation Overlord and in the related Intelligence operation to deceive the Germans.

On 4 May 1945, the date of the letter, General Montgomery, commander of the 21st Army Group, received the surrender of the Germans at Luneberg Heath. The letter reads:

'4/5/45

My dear D.

At 5pm this afternoon organised resistance ceased on the fronts on which 21 Army Group is engaged.

My first letter, after this somewhat momentous event, is to you as I want in some small measure to render my thanks for the almost incredible job you have performed these last three years. I am more aware than anyone other than yourself, what it has all meant to you and I am very conscious of the vast complications that would have arisen had you not been there to carry on, but it is particularly the former that colours the latter.

Tha Rainbows are not addicted to emotion as you may recollect. I do think however that you have probably done one of the most remarkable war job [sic] of any single individual in the British Isles, if one coldly analyses it on a man-hour basis, on a production of domestic facilities basis, or any other standpoint.

That you have no visible decoration to show for it is no particular criterion. In fact we are in reasonable company together since (owing to a muddle) I got nothing whatever for actually mounting the invasion from this country, though four of my subordinates got C.B.E.s! [Brig. Collins was in due course given a C.B.E.] My reward & yours lies in the knowledge of the part we have played in beating the boche [sic: lower case] and the satisfaction we get out of contemplating the results of our labours. When you make a cake or I erect a fence in the hedge at Ashdon, we don't expect someone to pop out of the bushes & pin a gong on our chests. So today, I view with satisfaction our combined handywork in the fall of the boche [sic: lower case]. This is our reward and it is a mighty satisfying one. We will celebrate it together when I get back again.

Love to you both

T.'

In the bottom corner, in the same hand: 'From Brig. T. F. J. Collins'

Brig. Collins' high praise for his sister Dorothy reflects her decision to return to Ashdon Hall to look after their sick parents, rather than continue her important work as an ambulance driver in Manchester during and after the Blitz. Dorothy Collins (1904-2005) later became a personal assistant to the Duke of Norfolk, and was awarded the MVO.

WITH

• An original election poster for the 1969 Rural District Council election for Ashdon parish, naming Dorothy Collins as a candidate. She was Chair of Ashdon Parish Council in 1977
• Original issue of The Times, 8 May 1945, "End of war in Europe"
• Reprint issue of the Cambridge Evening News, 6 June 1944 (the day after D-Day), with coverage of the operation in which Brig. Collins played such a distinguished part.

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