Turner Donovan Military Books - The world’s finest selection of rare and out-of-print books on British military history from 1800 to 1945
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Royal Flying Corps   42 Books
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A Subaltern's Share in the War: Home Letters of the late George Weston Devenish, Lieut. R.A., Attached R.F.C. Intro. & Notes by Mrs. Horace Porter. 1st Ed., xviii+178pp., portrait frontis., 4 plates. Constable. 1917  #67360
[HLMainPic] George Weston Devenish was born in 1893, educated at Charterhouse and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, receiving his commission (Royal Horse and Field Artillery) in July 1913. To France in September 1914, joining 6th Battery, 40th Brigade R.F.A., 3rd Division, on the Aisne. He was wounded near his Observation Post at Fauqissart, 28th October 1914, proceeded to France again in June 1915 and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in April 1916; he spent four months as an artillery observer then underwent pilot training. He was killed in action with 35th Squadron, shot down in flames, on 6th June 1917, and is commemorated on the Arras (Flying Services) Memorial. He was twenty-three. Contains lengthy extracts from entertaining and informative letters describing his active service experiences in Flanders and later over the Western Front. Orig. paper covd. boards, sympathetically rebacked in grey cloth, VG thus. See illustration on our website.   £145
Air Board, Technical Notes. Issued by Controller, Technical Department. Orig. printed card wraps., approx. 80pp, num. photos. & diagrams. (c.1917)  #67953
[HLMainPic] Official RFC/RNAS publication relating to aero engines. Contains general preface followed by details of various engines, with num. photos, sketches & diagrams. Covers somewhat serviceworn, overall VG & scarce. See illustrations on our website.   £75
Ivan Heald, Hero & Humorist. 1st Ed., 191pp., portrait frontis. C. Arthur Pearson Ltd. 1917  #67532
[HLMainPic] Ivan Heald was born at Accrington in 1883, & became a journalist, initially on the staff of the Ulster Gazette, later the Manchester Sunday Chronicle & finally to Fleet Street at the Daily Express. He enlisted in the Royal Naval Division in 1914 & received a commission in the Hood Battalion the following year. Served in Gallipoli from June 1915 (where he was wounded, but returned to duty) & in France, where he spent several months with his Bn. before transferring to 25th Sqrn. RFC as an Observer. KiA 4/12/16. Contains a memoir, some extracts from letters from Gallipoli & France, and several articles he wrote for the Daily Express which included light-hearted accounts of training with the RND at HMS Crystal Palace during 1914-15. Orig. green cloth, titled in black to front & sp., sp. little marked o/w VG. See illustration on our website.   £75
No. 2 Squadron R.F.C. Mosaic Q. 28.12.17. Photographically reproduced map & aerial mosaic, consisting of twelve 14x14cm plates joined together, total size 56x41cm approx. Photographically Reproduced & Printed by No. 1 Advanced Section, Army Printing & Stationary Services. Contemp.  #66064
[HLMainPic] The Front at Auchy lez-la-Bassee & south for some 3000 yards: the left hand side being a detailed trench map with the German trench systems & various posts identified; the right hand side a matching series of overlaid (or mosaic) aerial photos. of the same locations, providing an excellent comparison. Note: No. 2 Squadron was one of the original RFC squadrons formed in 1912. It spent the entire First World War on the Western Front flying photo. reconnaissance ops. Rear joints neatly repaired with brown tape, VG thus & a rare & interesting item. See illustrations on our website.   £125
"NIGHTHAWK" MC [Pseud. of HARVEY (W.J., MC)] Rovers of the Night Sky. 1st Ed., viii+204pp. Cassell. 1919  #65350
[HLMainPic] Personal account of service in France 1917-18 as an Observer with a night-bomber squadron, having previously been a footslogger (or 'gravel-crasher') in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Atmospheric account of various sorties over the Ypres Salient &c. Orig. dec. blue cloth, litle rubbed & worn, about VG. See illustration on our website.   £45
[BELL (Capt. D.H., MC)] A Soldier's Diary of the Great War. 1st Ed., xx+252pp. VG in dw. Faber & Gwyer. 1929  #64450
[HLMainPic] Ed. & intro. by Henry Williamson, who had been to school with Bell & served with him in the LRB 1914-15. Bell was commissioned in the Seaforth Highlanders in April 1915 & quickly wounded at Hill 60. Returned to the front for Loos & the Somme, awarded MC, & later transferred to the RFC as a pilot. In 1926, when HW attended the reunion dinner of the original LRB men who had sailed for France in November 1914 per the troopship "Chyabassa" he remet Douglas Bell, who was then writing his war memoirs. HW was a reasonably well known published author by this time & Bell asked for his help which was evidently willingly forthcoming as HW wrote the Introduction to his book. Orig. red cloth, gilt, VG in chipped dw with red ink ownership inscrip. "Henry Williamson Georgeham 1928" plus a few light pencilled annotations to his Introduction, suggesting amendments, & one interesting marginal note to Bell's text referencing "P" i.e. Phillip Maddison. See illustrations on our website.   £325
[BELL (Capt. D.H., MC)] A Soldier's Diary of the Great War. Pre-publication proof, xxi+252 & [6]pp. Faber & Gwyer. 1929  #64452
[HLMainPic] Ed. & intro. by Henry Williamson, who had been to school with Bell & served with him in the LRB 1914-15. Bell was commissioned in the Seaforth Highlanders in April 1915 & quickly wounded at Hill 60. Returned to the front for Loos & the Somme, awarded MC, & later transferred to the RFC as a pilot. In 1926, when HW attended the reunion dinner of the original LRB men who had sailed for France in November 1914 per the troopship "Chyabassa" he remet Douglas Bell, who was then writing his war memoirs. HW was a reasonably well known published author by this time & Bell asked for his help which was evidently willingly forthcoming as HW wrote the Introduction to his book. Pre-publication proof copy sent to HW who has made numerous annotations & suggested changes to his Introduction. Curiously he wanted to call his Introduction 'Inscription' - but this was not adopted by the publishers. This copy also includes two versions of the Epigraph. The longer version appeared in the published version: a shorter version was struck through by HW in green ink & it may well be that his opinion determined the final published version. Issued with plain grey paper wraps., the upper one now lacking, loosely bound & semi-derelict but bibliographically important. See illustrations on our website.   £350
[BELL (Capt. D.H., MC)] A Soldier's Diary of the Great War. 2nd Imp., xx+252pp. VG in dw. Faber & Gwyer. 1929  #64728
[HLMainPic] Ed. & intro. by Henry Williamson, who had been to school with Bell & served with him in the LRB 1914-15. Bell was commissioned in the Seaforth Highlanders in April 1915 & quickly wounded at Hill 60. Returned to the front for Loos & the Somme, awarded MC, & later transferred to the RFC as a pilot. Orig. red cloth, gilt, VG in dw. See illustration on our website.   £60
[BELL (Capt. D.H., MC)] A Soldier's Diary of the Great War. 2nd Imp., xx+252pp. Faber & Gwyer. 1929  #64729
[HLMainPic] Ed. & intro. by Henry Williamson, who had been to school with Bell & served with him in the LRB 1914-15. Bell was commissioned in the Seaforth Highlanders in April 1915 & quickly wounded at Hill 60. Returned to the front for Loos & the Somme, awarded MC, & later transferred to the RFC as a pilot. Orig. red cloth, gilt. See illustration on our website.   £45
[BELL (Capt. D.H., MC)] In Spite of All Rejoicing: A Soldier's Diary of the Great War. With an Introduction by Henry Williamson. 1st USA Ed. of "A Soldier's Diary of the Great War," xx+260pp. VG in worn dw. NY: Duffield & Co. 1930  #64453
[HLMainPic] Ed. & intro. by Henry Williamson, who had been to school with Bell & served with him in the LRB 1914-15. Bell was commissioned in the Seaforth Highlanders in April 1915 & quickly wounded at Hill 60. Returned to the front for Loos & the Somme, awarded MC, & later transferred to the RFC as a pilot. In 1926, when HW attended the reunion dinner of the original LRB men who had sailed for France in November 1914 per the troopship "Chyabassa" he remet Douglas Bell, who was then writing his war memoirs. HW was a reasonably well known published author by this time & Bell asked for his help which was evidently willingly forthcoming as HW wrote the Introduction to his book. The 1st American edition, orig. red cloth, a little stained, complete with somewhat worn/stained dw, with ink presentation inscrip. from the author "To Henry Williamson with grateful thanks from Douglas H. Bell. 1930." A nice association inscription between author & editor, & this USA edition is rare in any form, especially with dw. See illustrations on our website.   £350

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