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Pioneers   6 Books
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The Army Review. Published under the direction of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Vol. III: July-October 1912. [iv]+x+iv+654pp., 32 photos., 11 fldg. maps, 8 sketch maps, 2 diagrams. Printed by Hartison & Sons for HMSO. Contemp.  #49551
[HLMainPic] In its time the official intellectual forum for officers of the British Army who wished to study their profession. Each issue contained articles on historical campaigns, inc. recent & ongoing, debate on the issues of the day, reviews of the latest military publications, obits. of prominent figures & so forth. This edition includes an account of the Battle of Liao-Yang (Russo-Jap. War, with 8 sketch maps), an article on wireless-telegraphy for army purposes (with photos.), various studies of tactics &c., & various matter relating to the Indian Army inc. a description of the technical troops of an Indian Division (Sappers & Miners, & Pioneers), the Cavalry School at Saugor, the (then recently established) Staff College at Quetta, the North-East Frontier & the Double-Company System in the Indian Army. Orig. red cloth, gilt, little worn, near VG & sound throughout. See illustration on our website.   £45
HENDERSON-BLAND (Capt. R.) Actor - Soldier - Poet. Appreciation by Gen. Sir Hubert Gough. 1st Ed., 327pp., portrait frontis., 27 illus. Heath Cranton. 1939  #54658
[HLMainPic] Western Front with 13th Gloucesters (Pioneers) 1916-18: Somme, Ypres, Messines, &c. About 100pp. concern WW1. Orig. green cloth, gilt, sp. tanned o/w VG. See illustration on our website.   £25
HENDERSON-BLAND (Capt. R.) Actor - Soldier - Poet. Appreciation by Gen. Sir Hubert Gough. 1st Ed., 327pp., portrait frontis., 27 illus. VG in chipped/creased dw. Heath Cranton. 1939  #55726
[HLMainPic] Western Front with 13th Gloucesters (Pioneers) 1916-18: Somme, Ypres, Messines, &c. About 100pp. concern WW1. Orig. green cloth, gilt, VG in chipped/craesed dw. See illustration on our website.   £35
MURLAND (Major H.F., 64th Pioneers) Records of the IV Madras Pioneers (Now the 64th Pioneers). 1759-1903. 1st Ed., [v]+314pp. (+ Corringenda slip bound-in opposite Contents), 4to, 2 fldg. maps in end-pocket. Bangalore: Higginbothams. 1922  #57586
[HLMainPic] Rare history with index of British officers, roll of Indian officers, &c. "A history in expanded diary form. The author gives particular attention to the origins & evolution of the Regt. & to its earlier wars... There are good accounts of various Frontier campaigns & the Third China War. A very helpful source of reference." - Perkins. Orig. blue cloth boards, gilt to front (regimental motif), expertly rebacked with orig. sp. panel laid down (the original cloth was rather fragile so when seen, which is rarely, the work is generally in a distressed state unless renovated as here). See illustration on our website.   £325
Tirah 1897: Personal pocket diary of Lt. C.H. Villiers-Stuart, 21st Regiment of Madras Infantry (Pioneers). A small leather covd. notebook, 140x90mm, containing diary of events between 14th Sept. 1897 ("Left Belgaum full of phiz and many boxes tiffin") & 31st November, including one small sketch of Shinawari Camp defences, together with delicate pencil sketch of Shinawari Camp, 180x110mm (annoted: "Sniping from here about 1000 yards from camp" &c.) with another sketch of the Shinawari-Karuppa Road on reverse, similarly annotated, together with a very fine cabinet card portrait of the diarist in the uniform of the 21st Madras Pioneers, 160x100mm, by S. Madheo & Son, Belgaum. The diary is written in pencil (the pencil still present in an integral holder on the spine of the notebook) in a tiny hand, but is accompanied by a modern, enlarged, scan, & a transcript, with footnotes, which I have compiled. A rare & interesting survival of the campaign, especially as there is no published history of the 21st Madras Pioneers & VS mentions various officers of his regiment (& others) by name. Approx. 3800 words.  #58671
[HLMainPic] Serving with the 2nd Division, the 1st Madras Pioneers' main task was to build the road from Shinawari Camp to the Sampargha Pass, after which the Army moved forwards & the regiment was no longer employed. For several months they toiled on the road & other projects, at the same time picketing their camps, building sangars & zarebas, & frequently under sniping or direct attacks by the Afridis. Some extracts: 29th Sept. 1897: "At work on road all day. Did all our part and then found P.W.D. [Public Works Department] hadn't done theirs and had to do it for them. Also more tomorrow. No food for men at all. 2nd Gurkhas come in from Fort Lockhart. Also no food. Convoy come in with telegraph poles. Rather indigestible. Got some eggs for dinner not much else. Everyone rather stuffy - Dinner improved everyone's temper." 21st Oct. 1897: "Rose at 2 a.m. Loaded all stuff on 720 mules, donkeys and ponies and marched off at 6:30. Rather confused two staff officers. Got about 300 yards along road. Stuck down in freezing cold bottom of valley for an hour. Took us till 12 to get to Kotal then we halted while the 2nd Gurkha Rifles, Dorsets, and Gordons went up to take Dargai heights. We could see as plain as print 1200 yards away. They worked up to open space and crossing over dropped all round. The guns had no effect as they were in such strong sangars. At about 3 the Gordons charged across and then Gordons, Dorsets, and Gurkhas all scrambled up together. Cowie up first. Total casualties officers: 3 killed, 8 wounded. Men: 35 killed, 163 wounded. After fight over we got orders to go up to S. Sok [Samana Suk] to hold it and no one to go on to Karappa. Brooking told me to go and load up mules with A [Anderson] as previous orders were to camp for night on Kotal. Then I went with one section to water. Left baggage at X. Tore off and found.... I went by lower road and sent section by top road. Waited till 6 when Hendley turned up. Had half potted meat, choc and biscuit. Waited till 9:50 when greatcoats, officers baggage, half mess, and a few rations turned up. Hendley took them on to find camp never having seen ground before and quite dark. I patrolled road till 3:30 but no more baggage came so started up for camp. About 200 yards away found Marsh and picket and fire. Coal [?] had been sent for me but I had been wandering down S. [Shinawari] road and he didn't see me. He told me the camp was about 3 or 4 miles away so I started off taking one man and fell on them about 2 ½ miles away. Found my blanket and turned in 5:15. Hendley and mules hadn't found B [Brooking] and Huggins [CO] and 3 Company and Bruce … and rest were there by water. Brooking had turned up night before to get Sok [Samana Suk] in case enemy were making for it and it got dark too soon for the rest to find them." 23rs Oct. 1897: "Parade 5 a.m. for works on road back to Kotal. Worked till 2 and then came back. Had bath. First for days. Got 16 fowls and 64 eggs from villages, Pathan bread and corn. Had … dinner anchovy eggs. Turned in 8:30, at 9:30 sniping began. At 10:15 attacks on camp. Heavy firing on N [North] and West. Jemadar L Khan and Kalistan hit. Bullet hit sandbag below head. Went out and fixed bayonets. Couldn't fire acct [on account of] troops on right and left. Turned in again 11 p.m. Enemy got 5 yards from Gordons zareba. 9 bodies found. Hope some more killed." Note: I have transcribed this diary carefully, but a few words remain indistinct: the writing is largely clear but some dampstaining to the edges of some leaves render a few words difficult. Some of the entriess are written in reverse order, presumably as VS has recalled recent events & the original diary contains very little punctuation: some punctutation &c. has been added to the transcript in the interests of clarity. VS served in further campaigns & was Killed in Action at Gallipoli in 1915 while serving on Birdwood's ANZAC staff. See illustrations on our website.   £1250
TUGWELL (Lt.-Col. W.B.P.) History of the Bombay Pioneers 1777-1933. 1st Ed., 439pp., 11 col. & 42 b/w plates, 17 maps. Bedford: Sidney Press. 1938  #57378
[HLMainPic] Pioneers accompanied every expedition & the regiment saw a great deal of active service inc. Afghan Wars 1838-42 & 1878-80; NWF inc. Black Mountain, Bhutan 1864, Tirah & Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Indian Corps in France 1914-15, Mesopotamia, NWF 1916-17; Afghanistan 1919 & Waziristan 1924-28. "One of the most comprehensive & handsomely produced of all IA histories" - Perkins 443. Orig. half blue morocco, gilt, minor wear, VG. See illustration on our website.   £125

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