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History of the 4th Bn. The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) in the Campaign in North-West Europe, June, 1944-May, 1945.
1st Ed., 140pp., 14 maps. Taunton: Phoenix Press, For Private Circulation Only in the Somerset Light Infantry. nd
#57150
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From Normandy to the Elbe inc. Hill 112, Mount Pincon, the assault crossing of the Seine, Cleve, Xanten & Bremen, Rhine Crossing &c. Roll of Hon., awards (inc. citations), rolls of officers & WOs (HQ & Rifle Coys., &c.). Orig. green cloth, gilt, VG & rare. See illustration on our website.
£95
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Incidents with the Seventh Battalion The Somerset Light Infantry in France & Germany from June 1944 to June 1945.
1st Ed., 74pp. No imprint/date [Germany, c.1946].
#58797
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Anonymous account (by "B" Coy. commander) which conveys well the confusion in Normandy & the bleak outlook. With the arrival of an effective CO the bn's. confidence returned but days later he was killed. A third CO was killed within a few more days then the author was wounded at Mont Pincon & evacuated to the UK. Rejoined in 1945 in time for the Rhine crossing & final operations. Contemp. red cloth, blind, no publication details but evidently manufactured in Germany c.1945-46. VG & rare. See illustration on our website.
£125
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Captain Lionel Tudor Wild, "B" Coy., 7th (Service) Bn. Somerset Light Infantry: Killed in Action 30th November 1917 & Commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial to the Missing.
Fair copy of journal & extracts from letters from France, 1915-1916, assembled by his Mother in a leather-bound notebook, 230x180mm, plus tipped-in portrait photos. in uniform, press obits. &c., plus several loosely inserted photos. & press cuttings.
#58672
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Wild was commissioned in the 7th (S) Bn. SLI 28/1/1915, later advanced to Captain & was Mentioned in Despatches. He had previously been a Sgt. in the Surrey Yeomanry. He served with the 7th SLI in France & Flanders 1915-17 until missing in action 30/11/1917, his death was later presumed to have taken place on that day. A memoir compiled by his mother including 27pp. (6000 words) transcript of a diary-letter from France, August-Nov. 1915: sporadic but lengthy instalments, witty & informative record: "a sort of family letter which may be of interest to pass round to Aunts & Uncles &c." This is followed by press obits. inc. a letter from a private in his Coy. describing the circumstances of his death; a 2pp. letter, 1918, from a brother officer, on the news of the presumption of his death, then 16pp. (some 3000 words) extracts from letters from the Front. August 1915-June 1916. An extract from the diary-letter, describing a typical day in the trenches: "1 Hour before dawn: My 'observer' or my servant, or both in necessary come & shout into my ear 'Stand to just gone sir' - I roll out, & being very cross I go & make myself as objectionable as possible to any men I find not ready at their posts. I then proceed to stumble along the traverses occupied by my platoon, falling over everything that it is possible to fall over & keeping myself warm by my language. As this is the hour supposed to me most favourable for an attack, being a sort of half light, all the sentries think they see things which are not there, & usually see how much ammunition they can let off. As this gets taken up my all the other men who have just been roused up there is a considerable amount of noise going on which lasts till 'Stand down' 5 a.m. or thereabouts... 5.10 a.m. The officers retire for an early cup of tea & a cigarette. Just as I am thinking of turning in & really getting a little sleep one of the others comes up, & giving some more or less plausible excuse says 'I say old chap, I wonder if you would like to do the next turn of duty (4 hours) it really is my turn but...' 5.30-9.30: Tramp up & down the Company line, see the men's rations served out... have a good look at the German line through my periscope to see of there are any fresh developments..." And so the day goes on. In November "I took out my first patrol between the lines, for the purpose of finding out the thickness & also the state of repair of the German wire... It was a case of crawling all the way (about 350 yards) as there was a fairly large moon which made it necessary to take plenty of cover... Several times we were held up by large parties of the enemy which after several minutes breathless suspense turned out to be small bushes... eventually we reached our destination, & having cut off a piece of their wire... we retraced our steps, & got in after having been out about 2 hours..." An interesting & well-written description of trench warfare & a fine tribute assembled by his mother. Among other loosely inserted items is a printed slip from The Times newspaper with her advertisement pasted on: "To Officers & Others. Any information that can be givern by anyone who saw Captain L.T. Wild, Somerset Light Infantry, when he was wounded on November 30 will be gratefully received by Mrs A.S. Wild, 21 Canning-road, Cryodon." VG. See illustrations on our website.
£465
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EVERETT (Maj.-Gen. Sir H.)
The History of the Somerset Light Infantry 1685-1914.
1st Ed., xvi+421pp., 17 plates, 22 maps. Methuen.
1934
#58466
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Detailed history inc. Napoleonic Wars, First Afghan, Indian Mutiny, Zulu & Boer Wars &c. Orig three-qtr. morocco, gilt, very nice copy. See illustration on our website.
£65
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GREEN (Arthur)
The Story of a Prisoner of War.
1st Ed., orig. dec. card covs. (with portrait of the author in 'hospital blues'), [vii]+96pp., portrait frontis. Chatto & Windus.
1916
#55498
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No. 6646 Pte. Gren, 1st SLI, 4th Div. Charming naive descriptions of mobilisation & arrival in France until the author was promptly wounded & captured near Le Cateau. Sixteen months in PoW camps followed before he was repatriated. God Save the King! Little chipped & rubbed, but sound, near VG, very scarce & appealing. See illustration on our website.
£65
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MAJENDIE (Major V.H.B., DSO)
A History of the 1st Bn. The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's), July 1st 1916 to the end of the War.
1st Ed., xii+127pp., 8 fldg. maps. Taunton: Goodman.
1921
#56737
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Beaumont Hamel 1/7/16; Arras; 3rd Ypres; Final Advance &c. 11th Bde., 4th Div. Roll of officers killed, awards. Orig. cloth, gilt, VG. See illustration on our website.
£45
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