One of Britain's greatest heroes of the Second World War has died, aged 86, writes Andrew Ffrench.

Major John Howard, who made history when he and his men took Pegasus Bridge from the Nazis in a daring glider raid in the early hours of June 6, 1944, died two days after suffering a fall.

The story of Maj Howard, who retired to Burcot near Berinsfield after the war, with his wife Joy, was immortalised in the classic film The Longest Day, in which he was played by Richard Todd. He had hoped to join the Prince of Wales for the unveiling of a £650,000 museum and the restored Pegasus Bridge, which he had revisited every year since 1947.

Maj Howard, who was widowed, leaves a son and daughter and four grandchildren. A service for family and close friends in Aldershot will be followed by a memorial service in June.

John Willoughby, 70, secretary of the Royal British Legion club in Lakefield Road, Oxford, who knew Maj Howard, said: "All the old soldiers knew him and loved him. He was a true hero and we are saddened to hear of his death." The 180 members of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, from the 6th Airborne Division, seized Pegasus Bridge, a strategically vital link needed for the invasion, in a daring airborne raid.

The team swooped silently down in gliders, taking the Germans completely by surprise, then held the bridge until they were relieved later that day by troops making their way inland from the D-Day invasion beachheads.

Maj Howard was awarded the DSO and the Croix de Guerre avec Palme. Lieutenant General Sir Michael Gray, Chief of the Airborne Services Normandy Trust, described Maj Howard as a "real warrior" and a "dear friend, adding that he was chosen to lead the Pegasus mission because he was "a brilliant trainer and a hard man".

In 1997, an 85th birthday party was given by Thames Valley Police for Maj Howard, who served as a policeman in Oxford before the Second World War.

*For tributes to Maj Howard, see Features.

Story date: Friday 07 May

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