MILITARY

5pp., folio. In very good condition on lightly-aged paper. Copies of this document were sent by the War Office to the officers commanding the various corps, the Secretary of State considering that it would 'assist [them] in preparing Regulations for the government of the Corps under [their] Command'. For a full account of the subject see Hugh Cunningham's 'The Volunteer Force: A Social and Political History, 1859-1908' (1975). The cover page has in its top left-hand corner: 'V | General No. | 469', and carries a table of contents.

The four items in very good condition, on lightly-aged paper. For a full account of the subject see Hugh Cunningham's 'The Volunteer Force: A Social and Political History, 1859-1908' (1975). Item One: 'RULES OF THE ---- VOLUNTEER CORPS.' 5pp., folio (paginated to 6). The cover page has in its top left-hand corner: 'V | General No. | 469', and carries a table of contents.

Printed in black on one side of a piece of thick laid paper, 30.5 x 19.5 cm. Aged, and separated into two parts by a neat tear along a vertical fold line 13 cm from bottom (repaired on reverse), and with slight wear at the head. An attractive and characteristically Victorian design, entirely drawn onto the stone (i.e. none of the text set in type). The design displays a quirky and charming amateur energy, with the text within a decorative border incorporating what appears to be 'IOD POONA' at the foot. Headed by the words 'STATION THEATRE .

The seven items are from the papers of Brig.-Gen. H. C. Potter, who served in the 3rd Division, whose conduct during the Spring Offensive of 1918 is the main subject. Of particular interest is Item Two, concerning a visit by King George V. The collection is in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, Item Five having a few closed tears to one edge. ONE. Manuscript copy (or original) dispatch headed '1/North L. Fus. 4/Royal Fus. | 13/ Kings. R./S.H.B. | The following messages have been received from 3rd Division for communication to all ranks'.

All three items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Letter One: 1p., 4to. Having been told by 'General Evans' that Brett-James has 'kindly agreed to criticise the manuscript of a book I have just completed' he is enclosing it (the manuscript is not present). 'If you could possibly let me have it back by next Saturday, 14th, I should appreciate it, as on 15th. I am going to Mexico, & the mails with that country are not very good.' He is also enclosing a cheque for three guineas, 'which, I believe, is what you said'. Letter Two: 1p., landscape 12mo.

3pp., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed by Brett-James in pencil at the head of the first page to 'Lt Gen Sir Brian Horrocks' and with one manuscript correction. The letter begins: 'I do want to say how interesting and worthwhile I found the broadcast discussion last Sunday evening about the factors which make a good division. All that was said was true and most stimulating, but there are a few points which I should like to add.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightl-aged paper. A short letter, in which he thanks Brett-James for writing to him 'about the Macmillan speech': 'I really feel badly at having put you obviously to so much trouble'. He suggests that Brett-James sends him 'the tape' and lets him 'have it transcribed here, by my secretary'.

1p., 4to. He is honoured to be asked to talk to the Napier Society (a military history society at Sandhurst), but is 'right in the middle of the Cambridge term', as a Fellow of Churchill College, and so must 'propose a subject which I have already talked about.' He suggests two topics: 'Trade Defence in World War II' and 'Some Reasons for Official History', in the last of which he tries 'to answer criticisms of that form of history and describe the sources I had used and the way I had worked when writing The War at Sea 1939-45'.

1p., 4to. 30 typed lines, with the last two lines in autograph. In good condition, on lightly-aged and creased paper. Brett-James is addressed as 'Head of Department, War Studies & International Affairs, Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst'.

The collection, deriving from the Ewart family papers, is in good condition, on aged paper, with fraying to the extremities of the report. Sir John Spencer Ewart, son of General Sir John Alexander Ewart, Colonel of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, entered Sandhurst in 1880, and left the following year, with the sword of honour, to join the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. (For more information about Ewart and his father, who also obtained 'special distinction' at Sandhurst, see their entries in the Oxford DNB.) ONE. Manuscript 'Report'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. On wove paper watermarked 'R TASSELL | 1831'. 56 lines, arranged in seven eight-line stanzas. Presentable, despite wear and age, closed tears along crease lines, and traces of yellow-paper mount on blank reverse of second leaf. There is no sign that this item was ever published, which is surprising, as it is a superior effort, written with some conviction, the subject being one on which Hollings was regarded as an authority.

24pp., 8vo, with one extra plate on art paper, and five full pages of diagrams in text. Stapled, in blue printed wraps. With two ownership inscriptions on the wraps, both of Royal Artillery personnel: the first of S. M. Dawes, and the second of '483 S/L Batt RA', i.e. Jack Lynden Batt (b.1922), of 155th Battery, 172nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. This offprint is excessively scare, with no copies listed on COPAC or WorldCat.

12pp., 4to. On the rectos of 12 leaves, stitched with red thread into yellow wrappers with crude design of airplanes in action. From the papers of the Labour MP Tom Driberg, and with 'Mr Driberg' in pencil at head of front wrap. In a preface dated 21 August 1941 Knight refers to 'twelve fateful and ferocious months', and criticises 'a deplorable lack of vision and imagination everywhere.

Each of the three photographs measures roughly 19 x 23.5 cm, and each is mounted on a piece of card roughly 29 x 35 cm, with a decorative red border around the photograph. The photographs are lightly-faded but in good condition, on aged and worn mounts. Each mount is stamped in purple: 'Lakhimpur Battalion, | Assam Military Police'. In contemporary manuscript, in the bottom left-hand corner of each photograph is 'Dibrugarh | 18.6.91'.

Printed on both sides of a piece of paper, roughly 25.5 x 37.5 cm, folded three times to make a packet of 6pp., 25.5 x 12.5 cm. The title advertises 'All the old favourites, and new book by Pte. E. G. S. Staples. New Lyrics and parodies by 2 Lt. C. M. Hale. Additional music by Pte G. M. Rutt. Produced by Pte E. G. S. Staples.' Also 'Full Beauty Chorus of Macedonian Houris from the EASTERN THEATRE (of War) by kind permission of the Balkan News.' Other spoof advertisements include: 'Soap! Soap! Soap!

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged grey paper. The words 'Admiralty, S.W.' and 'I HAVE received and laid before my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty your letter of the' are printed, with the rest written by a secretary, apart from Romaine's bold, firm signature. According to the letter Maude's letter of 5 May was 'addressed to Lord Panmure', and suggested 'the expediency of towing to their destination the Gun Boats, with high-pressure Engines, about to be employed on service in China'. Maude is addressed as 'E. J. Maude Esqre. | The Old Hall | Knostrop | Leeds'.

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper, with slight loss of text to both from the cutting away of Gordon's seal. Both addressed to 'My dearest Jessey' and posted to her as 'Mrs. Creed', care of General Corner, 4 Berkeley Street, Portman Square, London. Letter One (1828): 5pp., 4to. On a bifolium and a single leaf. With Madras postmark and three others. He begins by explaining his handling of money 'from the Estate of our poor late Uncle [...] sufficient in the beginning of the Year for the Purchase of my Majority in the 13th Dragoons in the Event of a Vacancy'.

One: 3pp., 16mo. 42 lines. Fair, on aged paper.

2pp., 12mo. 31 lines. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Begins abruptly: '<...> rather wait a little & get it without its having made a great favour.' He declares that he is 'perfectly ready however to go to sea tomorrow & have no wish to remain on shore, the reverse in fact, I would rather be afloat if I could choose - Shore is a stupid place I think - perhaps as soon as I leave it I shall commence to think otherwise'. References to 'sharpish weather' and dinner 'with the Chads' follow. He has been 'living rather a la Hermit'.

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The letter is written in pencil, and begins: 'Sir, | I am awfully sorry to say that I have just been ordered to report tomorrow to G. H. Q. where I shall very probably receive the order to go to the Yankee Army. | I am really very sorry to leave you without having even been able to present to you my respects and my thanks for the kindness you have always shown to me during the time I have been attached to this brigade which is now exactly a year ago.

1p., 4to., with vertical perforation dividing the circular (upper part) from the form (lower part). Fair, on lightly-aged and creased paper. The fourteen-line circular begins: 'It is appreciated that every British Subject wishes to return at once, but all will not be able to get in the first train. | The British Committee will have to select the order of going by the various degrees of urgency. [...] Persons in Government service, men going to mobilisation, and persons in distress, have special claims to priority.' The form, completed in pencil by 'Mr & Mrs R.

Helm's promotion on 3 September 1940 to the rank of Flying Officer (41020) is recorded in the London Gazette, 15 October 1940. After the war he joined the International Civil Aviation Authority, working in Iran and Zambia, and was elected to the Membership of the Institute of Navigation, Royal Geological Society, in 1971. A total of 59pp., 8vo, of pencil notes and tables by Helm, relating to the RAF in the Second World War, with 6 original photographs.

1p., 4to. On bifolium, with postmarks and red seal on the reverse of the second leaf, together with address (frank?) by Wellington: 'John Jones Esq | 57 Harcourt Street | Dublin | [signed] Wn'. On aged and worn paper, with slight damage to one corner by removal from an album. The message reads: 'The Duke of Wellington presents his Compliments to Mr. Jones. | The Duke has not written Mr. Jones any Rebuke. He received one. | He is not in the habit of discussing upon political subjects with those who think proper to address him in the tone of Rebuke. | He begs that the subject may here drop'.

1p., landscape 12mo. In good condition, on aged paper. Signed by Forbes over a purple one penny Inland Revenue stamp. Reads: '£50 : 0 : 0 | 27th. June 1872. | Received of Messrs: Henry S. King & Co. of 65 Cornhill London, the sum of Fifty Pounds in payment for the right to publish an edition of 1000 copies of "Soldiering and Scribbling" | [signed] Arch Forbes'. The book was published by the firm in the same year as the receipt.

11pp., 12mo. Fair, on aged and creased paper. 'Please return' in manuscript at head of first page. Newspaper cutting titled 'Prisoners in Japanese Hands' loosely inserted. Begins with a section of 'Parliamentary News concerning Prisoners of War in the Far East.'; then 'Report from U.S.A.'; and a final 'Extract from copy of broadcast by Major Gourlay from Thailand', with a couple of manuscript interpolations. Scarce: no copies on COPAC or WorldCat.

2pp., 12mo. Printed on both sides of a single leaf. Fair, on aged and creased paper. Giving a list of addresses to which letters and postcards 'may be sent post free to Service personnel and Civilians known or believed to be in Japanese hands'. '[...] To avoid delay in Japanese censorship, no one should write more than once a week'. With an example of the way in which to 'address you letter', if 'the internment camp address is known'. Scarce: no copy on COPAC or WorldCat, although the Imperial War Museum does have a similar Leaflet P.2280E (1943), relating to prisoners of war in Europe.

16pp., 12mo. Stapled. In printed pink wraps, with map on inside back cover showing 'The Prisoner of War (Far East) Enquiry Centre' at Curzon St House in Mayfair. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper in worn wraps with creasing to one corner.

15pp., 12mo, with printers' slug at foot of otherwise-blank last page. Fair, on aged paper with slight creasing. P.3 carries 'Our Welcome To You', beginning: 'To all of you on your journey home, whether in the Services or not, this brings you a warm welcome to the Middle East Command. | You may be here for up to 48 hours and the reason for this break is to provide you with the warm clothing you will need on arrival in England.' Pp.9-14 carry nine tables relating to 'Clothing and Necessaries to be Issued' to service personel and civilian men, women and children.

298pp., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper in blue ring binder. From the collection of J. L. H. Batt, who writes the following autograph note: 'Lt. Geoff. Stavert was E. Troop Commander of 155 Battery at Sidi Nsir Feb. 1943, & was my Troop Commander. On 26. 2. 43 I was up at the O.P as a Signaller on Hill 609.

The nine items in this collection provide valuable information regarding the management of the estate of a Georgian colonial British army office. Coane's battalion had served in New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land between 1812 and 1814, and had been in Ceylon (under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Giels) since 1814 by the time Coane died on 5 January 1819, his demise much regretted by his superiors. The nine items are on aged and worn paper with chipping to extremities. ONE: Autograph Letter Signed from 'G[eorge]. Minter' to unnamed recipient. Kandy; 29 December 1818. 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium.