I WAS very interested in Mr Gray's letter. I have always said that the invasion of Europe started with the invasion of Sicily. Actually not on July 10 but on July 9.

Two battalions, 2nd South Staffs and 1st Border regiment went in by American gliders the Waco at about 9pm the night before, to capture the Ponte Grande and Syracuse, with the seaborne troops coming in the early morning of July 10. This part of the operation was code named "Ladbroke - Husky." This was followed up by "Ladbroke - Fustain" when our paras etc, went in.

Everything went wrong, mostly due to bad navigation as we flew over our ships who fired on us, and various paras' planes, causing many to crash.

The casualties to the airborne forces, American, British and some Germans was so horrific Eisenhower made the casualty lists classified information.

I am sure of the date and times as I was in a glider that was shot down at 9pm on July 9 and was picked up by a returning landing craft at 8am, July 10, my 23rd birthday.

I think this was the worst case of friendly fire of the war.

DOUGIE PAYNE

(1st Border Regt Airborne)

Windrush Road

Swindon