(1885 - 1945) ‘Old Blood and Guts’ was one of the finest tank commanders in history, rolling his forces through Tunisia, Sicily, France and Germany until halted at the Rhine. ONE OF THE LAST SIGNATURES OF GEORGE S. PATTON, SIGNED THE DAY BEFORE HIS AUTOMOBILE CRASH Envelope postmarked 9th December 1945 and censored with the signature of General George S Patton Jr. The envelope is addressed to Miss Mary Jane Krieger with whom Patton had been corresponding for over a year. It is attached to a page from her scrapbook which is entitled 'Letter No.27'. This letter (no longer present but copy attached) was to be the last letter Patton would sign and the postmark is actually the day of the accident he sustained which led to his death 12 days later. In his letter, Patton explains that he is going on leave the next day (9th December 1945) and: ‘...I shall probably not be in a position to answer your letters for some time’. He thanks Mary Jane for her constant support and for the ‘beautiful Christmas box’. In a previous letter (1st November 1945) he states, ‘Your Christmas Box has come but like a good boy I shall not open it until December 25th 1945’. Sadly, this was not to be. Mary Jane had also sent Patton a book of poems. He writes ‘I am taking the book of poems along to read on the journey and likewise the skin cream which will come in very handy on a sea voyage’. Previously one of Mary Jane’s poems had included one of Patton’s favorites, ‘I Have a Rendezvous With Death' written by Alan Seeger who, as an American citizen fighting in the French Foreign Legion, was killed in action on the 4th July 1916. Overall very good condition.