(With apologies for mangling the titles of two classic WW2 films!)
The Chairman and Trustees of The Secret WW2 Learning Network hadn't announced in advance that Harry Patterson (aka Jack Higgins) would be honouring their blue plaque 'grand reveal' event at Brighton Dome Corn Exchange, but were thrilled and very honoured that he could be present.
Accompanied by his wife Denise Patterson - the former High Sheriff of West Sussex - the 87 year old multi-million book selling writer of the classic WW2 thriller THE EAGLE HAS LANDED had flown in to Shoreham from his home in Jersey especially to spend the entire day in Brighton.
While at lunch with some of the Trustees and other guests, Denise and Harry described how moved they'd been during the morning presentation by the tributes paid to the four Brighton-born agents, and he then returned to the Corn Exchange to informally mingle with other attendees and chat to everyone who was keen to meet him. He spent quite some time talking to The Baker Street Boys re-enactment team and also signed many copies of his books.
Everyone involved with the Charity remains very grateful to Denise and Harry for taking part in this special day.
Click HERE for the Jack Higgins page on Amazon
JACK HIGGINS BIO - Since THE EAGLE HAS LANDED - one of the biggest-selling thrillers of all time - every novel Jack Higgins has written, including his most recent works, A DEVIL IS WAITING and THE DEATH TRADE, has become an international bestseller. He has had simultaneous number-one bestsellers in hardcover and paperback, and many of his books have been made into successful movies, among them, THE EAGLE HAS LANDED, TO CATCH A KING, ON DANGEROUS GROUND, EYE OF THE STORM and THUNDER POINT. Higgins, who lived in Belfast until he was twelve, had several close calls with bombs and gunfire at an early age. After leaving school at fifteen, he served three years with the Royal Horse Guards in Eastern Europe during the cold war. Subsequently, he was a circus roustabout, a factory worker, a truck driver and a labourer, before entering college at age twenty-seven. He has degrees in sociology, social psychology and economics from the University of London, and a doctorate in media from Leeds Metropolitan University. A fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an expert scuba diver and marksman, Higgins lives on Jersey in the Channel Islands.