attackers in the event, face essentially no opposition. Virtually all of their casualties in the assault, are either from friendly fire, or accident. At least two armed German halftracks belonging to an engineer company and followed by panzergrenadiers tried to attack the bridge at 1:30 a.m., but the first was destroyed by a PIAT. The other Panzers thought they were up against a bigger enemy force armed with a 6-pounder anti-tankgun and so immediately retreated. A more forceful German counter-attack came in the early hours of D-Day, when German divisional headquarters realised the bridges had been taken intact. By that time, Howard and his glider troops had been bolstered by both fresh airborne parachute landings The 2nd Ox and Bucks coup de main platoons holding the bridges were relieved by 7th Parachute Battalion at 03.00hrs.[35] Later on D Day a detachment of British Commandos of the 1st Special Service Brigade, led by Brigadier Simon Fraser (Lord Lovat), marched to the bridge to the tune of Bill Millin's bagpipes. With these reinforcements, they were able to hold Pegasus Bridge against an attack by elements of the 21st Panzer Division, strongly supported by artillery. Following the attack on the bridges on D-Day, instead of being removed from the line to commence training for further operations 'D' Company was used as a normal infantry company. Howard was nominated for the Distinguished Service Order for his leadership during the capture of the bridges and, on 16 July 1944, was presented with the medal by Field Marshal (at the time General) Bernard Montgomery, although the award was not officially confirmed until 31 August. 'D' Company remained in Normandy fighting until 5 September 1944, after 91 days of continuous fighting. Upon return to Bulford, Howard began to reform and reorganise his company in preparation for future operations. They were not withdrawn from the line in time to take part in Operation Market Garden and in the end it had been decided not to employ a coup-de-main assault on the bridges at Nijmegen and Arnhem. Nevertheless, Howard began the process of training 'D' Company in the hope of returning to combat. However, it was not to be. On 13 November 1944, he was involved in a car accident and was badly injured. He took no further part in the war and remained in hospital until March 1945. 'D' Company, led by Major, later Colonel, John Tillett, went