BRICKHILL PAUL: (1916-1991) Australian fighter pilot of World War II, a prisoner of war held at Stalag Luft III where he participated in the Great Escape, although not as one of the escapees (owing to his claustrophobia). Brickhill was the author of The Great Escape, The Dam Busters and Reach for the Sky. T.L.S., Paul Brickhill, one page, 8vo, West Drive, Wentworth, Surrey, 1^st May 1958, to Eric Williams ('Dear Bill'). Brickhill states, in part, 'One of your fans dropped a clanger by sending this to me. I didn't notice the “Dear Mr. Williams” at the top and read it through until my jaw dropped at the last line. I must say I like the bit about wanting to know how you got your information on the story, not to mention the two following lines. The young man dropped some very sizeable bricks'. Together with the original letter referred to by Brickhill, being an A.L.S. by a young schoolboy, Winston McMurtry, two pages, 8vo, Linfield Intermediate School, Sandy Row, Belfast, 23^rd April 1958, to Mr. Williams, stating, in part, 'I hope you will not think me impertinent writing to you. I have enjoyed your book very much. I have never read any of your books before, infect (sic) it was the only book I have ever read right through and enjoyed thoroughly…..A lot of my mates got a loan of your book they said it is better than any historical modern story they have read. I also like your book because it is fact. I thought your story full of bravery and very thrilling. I would like to know how you got your information on the story. Did a former prisoner tell you or were you actually there yourself? I hope you will write many more exciting war stories and I hope they will be as good as “The Wooden Horse”.' Accompanied by the original envelope erroneously hand addressed by McMurtry to Paul Brickhill. Also including two carbon typed retained copies of Williams's replies to Brickhill ('I can't help feeling that it was a class exercise and that I shall soon receive the one intended for you') and McMurtry ('You ask how I got the information: the fact is that it is my own story which I told in the third person calling myself “Peter Howard” because I began to write it when the war was still being fought') and a third carbon typed retained copy of a letter from Williams to John Fischer of Messrs. Harper & Brothers in New York, dated 19^th September 1950, and concerning Paul Brickhill, in part, 'Paul Brickhill was not the third member in our escape. He wrote a book which was published here by Methuen entitled Escape to Danger, which was by way of being an anthology of escape stories. Although the wooden horse was mentioned, the reference only took up two lines of print and really told nothing of the story. I shall be glad if you will give me further information about The Great Escape, because Paul Brickhill never escaped himself although he was in Stalag-Luft III but in a different compound from ours. I do not feel that he is entitled in any way to link up with the book or the film of The Wooden Horse.' Further including an original unsigned 10 x 8 press photograph of Williams at a book signing for The Wooden Horse. An interesting series of letters with good association. Some light, minor age wear, generally VG, 6

 

Eric Williams (1911-1983) English writer and former RAF pilot and prisoner-of-war during World War II whose most famous novel was The Wooden Horse (1949), made into a movie of the same name the following year.