Expeditionary

12pp., 4to, including title-page: 'The Little Nurses of Morogoro | A character study from "German East" | by Capt. Francis Robinson | Chaplain. | South African Horse | with the British Expeditionary Force | German East Africa'. In good condition, on aged paper, with closed tear to last leaf. A reference dates the item to after the Battle of Salaita Hill on 12 February 1916. The following captures the tone of an enthusiastic tribute: 'Wherever you go in that unattractive collection of miscellaneous buildings, you come across a little nurse, prim & smart in her uniform & cap.

2pp., 4to. 53 lines. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with minor traces of previous mounting at head, and a light and unobtrusive water stain. The letter is headed by Rose 'Y.M.C.A. B.A.P.O.2 B.E.F. France'. Regarding Sheppard's recently-published 'Quest of Ledgar Dunstan', Rose writes: 'You have a wonderfully keen mental eye which sees everything with extraordinary sharpness, & you have a literary hand which etches with just & delicate touch. The book is also one of singular intensity of feeling which carries the reader along fascinated & thrilled.

All texts clear and complete. All four items in fair condition on lightly-aged paper, with occasional light wear along folds. ITEM ONE: Autograph testimonial by 'F. G. Lucas | Brigr. General | late Comdr. 42nd. Infy. Brigade M.E.F.' Dated 26 April 1919. 12mo, 1 p. He always found Barton 'active, intelligent and hard working, and he did noticeably well while on an independent appointment'. ITEMS TWO AND THREE. Autograph testimonial by 'Badcock Lt Col. | 2/6th. G. R.' 12mo, 1 p. Undated.

Folio, 30 pp. In brown leather half-binding, with marbled boards. One simple pen illustration, p. 18, showing arrangement of 'Muraille' and 'Pont'. Good, on lightly-aged paper, in worn binding. Neatly set out, in a secretarial hand, with a synopsis beside each paragraph in red ink in the widened left-hand margins. As a loosely-inserted printed slip explains in English, the manuscript sets out 'instructions by a French Official Commission for the preparation and arming of a fleet of steam ships to be equipped to carry marines to form an expeditionary force to the coast of Africa.

Interesting item with contemporary resonances. ITEM ONE: dimensions eight and a half inches by fourteen and a half inches. Around fifty lines of text. Clean, but heavily folded. States that 18 months previously Maude and the British Army had come 'not as conquerors but as deliverers'. Describes the progress of the war and states that despite Maude's death the promises he made in a proclamation to the citizens of Baghdad will be kept. Announces eight undertakings (e.g. 'Fifth, that the routes to the sacred places will be thrown open once again for organized pilgrimages').

The majority of the material is on leaves of foolscap paper. The collection is in good condition: lightly aged and with some wear to extremities. Assembled by Lever during the course of his training as an officer in the Fiji Defence Force, it gives a valuable insight into colonial military procedure. Occasional manuscript additions and corrections. Arranged in four folders. FIRST FOLDER ('H.M. Customs, Fiji.') contains: ONE: [2 pages] Army School of Instruction. New Zealand Expeditionary Force 1940. War Equipment Tabel. Infantry (Rifle) Battalion. TWO: [5 pages] Army School of Instruction.

An extremely interesting and moving if frail survival: items of various sizes, many discoloured, creased, frayed and stained. The first item, 'THE HISTORY OF THE PRESTATAIRES IN ALGERIA. | Dedicated by one of them to the Major, recruiter of Pioneers for the 337 Alien Coy. in Hussein Dey.' (two typewritten A4 leaves, both backed with grey card), dated 'Kenadza, 28 February 1943', explains how 'Before June 1940 there were more than 3,000 of us who did our duty in the fight against the onslaught of the Axis.