Matt Limb Battlefield Tours Ltd:

Richard Todd Returns to Normandy

We recently had the great pleasure of taking a battlefield tour to Normandy made special by our guest, the actor, Mr Richard Todd.

Richard Todd parachuted into Normandy in the early hours of 6 June 1944 as a young officer with 7th Battalion of The Parachute Regiment. The battalion had the task of reliving Major John Howard's glider assault force after they successfully captured both Pegasus and Horsa bridges at Bénouville and Ranville; the very first action of D-Day. The 7th battalion then held both bridges, and the village, until relief arrived late on 6 June.

During the tour the group witnessed a re-union between Madame Arlette Gondrée and Mr Richard Todd. Arlette Gondrée is the owner of the Pegasus Bridge Café, the first house to be liberated on 6 June 1944. As the group left to continue the tour Richard Todd presented Arlette Gondrée with his webbing equipment he was wearing when he parachuted into Normandy in 1944. He said that ' ... it was to be held in safe keeping in the Pegasus Bridge Cafe ...' Following the days tour the group had a dinner in their hotel and invited both Madame Arlette Gondrée and Mr Richard Todd as their guests.

Photograph: Madame Arlette Gondrée & Mr Richard Todd in front of the Pegasus Bridge Café.

December 2009:
It is with great sadness I have to report that Richard Todd passed away peacefully recently; Richard has been suffering from cancer and died in his sleep at his home on 3 December 2009.

It had been some months since I last spoke to him but early this summer we spoke for some time, just prior to his 90th Birthday, and he appeared to be well and in good health; I again asked him if he would make another trip with me to Normandy; sadly that will now never happen and his company will be missed on the Normandy Battlefields and at the Pegasus Bridge Cafe.

Richard Todd OBE (11 June 1919 – 3 December 2009)

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