March 5, 1937, Errol and Erben arrived in London:
“In 1935, Flynn married French-American actress Lili Damita (divorcing in 1942), with whom he had a very stormy relationship, with frequent physical fights. They were called the “Fighting Flynns,” and he called his wife “Tiger Lili.” When his friend Dr. Herman F. Erben (1897-1985) proposed that he and Errol travel to Spain in 1937, Flynn jumped at the opportunity. The friends had met three years earlier on April 14, 1933 in Salamaua, New Guinea. Born in Vienna, Erben was a physician and a world traveler, adventurer, and photographer, making a living primarily as a ship’s doctor. The two adventurers liked each other from the start and traveled together for a couple of months through the Far East. (Thomas McNulty, “Errol Flynn: The Life and Career.” Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2004. pp. 23-24) So, in early 1937, Flynn decided to go to Spain as a war correspondent with a commission from Hearst Press, to get away from it all (some say to, literally, escape from his wife) or perhaps just for the adventure. “Arriving in Spain, I felt I was right back in ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’” (Errol Flynn, “What Really Happened to Me in Spain” Photoplay, July 1937: 12-15). Flynn and his enigmatic traveling companion, Dr. Erben, left on the Queen Mary on February 24, 1937, arriving in Southhampton, England on March 1.”
“On March 5, 1937, they arrived in London.”
Quoting “Robin de Los Bosques in the Spanish War
— Tim
shangheinz
March 11, 2021 at 10:28 am
[img]https://www.theerrolflynnblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/0648b05bfa19d4820bfda9ad45703f55.jpg[/img]
The artwork for Robin out of Busch Gardens
Jack Marino
May 18, 2021 at 10:00 pm
I have a copy of Errol Flynn’s Spanish Diary all written in pencil. Errol wrote it in a lot of pig latin and English. I’ve held the original diary in my hand and I read it in one sitting. All I can say that a lot of stuff the authors of all these books didn’t have a lot of the facts right. Lincoln Hurst’s book was going to be the definitive book on Errol’s life and a good part of it was going to be his trip to Spain with sections from Flynn’s own diary.
Deirdre had the original diary given to her by Nora, he mother. She had this diary in her dresser draw when the Higham book came out and she could have gone public and this diary would disprove everything Higham wrote. Deirdre was sitting on the bomb that could have derailed Higham’s quest to make a million dollars off his lying book. I told her this but she had forgotten what was in it, it was just her Dad’s diary and she had a few more of them too.
Deirdre put the original diary up at Christies for auction. At that very last second Lincoln Hurst got the sale and the second bidder was Charles Higham. Lincoln knew this and he was determined to keep this diary out of Highman’s hand. Since the diary was written in pencil both Lincoln and I felt Higham would change some of the sentences to fit his theory that Errol Flynn was a nazi spy. He could write pro Nazi stuff and find a forger to pull it off. Who would dispute it with Higham on TV holding up EF’s diary and reading from what he changed.
That is one major contribution made by Lincoln Hurst to save Errol’s Flynn legacy. I have to mention also there was a young lady who came in at the last minute to loan Lincoln the money to grab this incredible prize. I was there helping Lincoln get this to happen. We all had an angel watching over this sale of this diary. It’s just a shame that Lincoln never got to finish his book it would have been the Bible of Errol Flynn’s life.
When you read this diary you can see a 27 year old politically naive Errol Flynn. He had no idea what Erban was up to and just wanted to use Erban’s photos for his articles he sent back to Hearst newspapers. Errol Flynn was a frustrated war corespondent, he really wanted to be one like the greats of his day. Errol’s biggest problem was he didn’t have the discipline and he was easily distracted, especially when a beautiful women showed up. That is why we LOVE HIM
That picture on the cover of Lincoln’s book was one of his green card. Errol had two, 1934, and 1942 and Lincoln bought the two originals from Deirdre. I have color copies of everything she sold to Lincoln. Jack Marino
Gentleman Tim
May 19, 2021 at 11:53 am
WOW, again Jack!!! Thank the cinematic gods above that you, Linc, Nora, Dierdre, and the Anonymous Angel were there to protect Errol from that low-life, scum bag, Chuckie Pigham! THANK YOU!!!