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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The First World War The First World War, Personal memoirs of soldiers of all nations on all fronts, anthologies, literature and fiction, history and analysis   939 Books
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Who's Who in the British War Mission to the United States of America 1917. Chairman Viscount Northcliffe. 1st Ed., 55pp., lge. fldg. chart. NY: Clode. 1917  #65166
[HLMainPic] Biogs. of members (many military officers &c.) & detailed guide to the objects of the Mission. VG with typed note "With Lord Northcliffes Compliments" on the headed notepaper of the Mission. See illustration on our website.   £35
Fundraising for the Dardanelles: Mrs Cara Leland Broughton. (i) Printed 'form' letter from Jean Hamilton (with recipient's name: Mrs Broughton, in pencil) acknowledging gift to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force; (ii) Receipt issued to Mrs Broughton by the Lady Hamilton Dardanelles Fund for gift of £15, signed in ink by [Lady] Jean Hamilton; (iii) Handbill issued by Mrs Moncrieffe's Fund, "Urgently required for the Dardanelles: The 'Gallipoli' or Improved Bell Stretcher Tent... These stretcher tents meet a want that has been created by the peculiar position on the Gallipoli peninsula where the wounded have not at their disposal field ambulances... but are obliged to lie on the ground without shelter, & tormented by flies..."; (iv) Another similar regarding the increased costs of improved Stretcher Tents (dated 10th Sept. 1915); (v) & (vi) printed letter & official receipt (signed by Marie Michell, Hon. Sec.) re Cara Broughton's gift of £30 to towards Stretcher Tents; (vii) Orig. 3pp. ms. letter (with OAS envelope, Passed by Censor &c.) from 245 L/Cpl. A. Forbes ASC, 2nd Mtd. Div. in Gallipoli to Mrs Broughton, thanking her for gifts of cigarettes.  #61081
[HLMainPic] During the Great War, especially during the early years, citizens, rich & poor, were exhorted to subscribe to a cornucopia of relief funds, ranging from those for Belgian Refugees to small comforts for the men in the trenches. Many of the organisers were 'society' ladies, & the campaign at Gallipoli was not without its sponsors, including Lady Hamilton, wife of Gen. Sir Ian Hamilton, with her Lady Hamilton Dardanelles Fund, and Mrs Moncrieffe (Gen. Hamilton's sister-in-law) with her "Mrs Moncrieffe's Fund" whose St. Marylebone War Hospitals' Supply Depot had a "Dardanelles Account." The small collection of documents here offered are a rare survival of these funds for men at the Dardanelles. The letter from the soldier (L/Cpl. Forbes) shows that Mrs Broughton also sent comforts to individual soldiers: "I am just writing a few lines in my dug-out, to thank you very much for the cigarettes which you are sending me every two weeks. I don't think there is a better tonic, as the chaps say, for our nerves when the shells & shrapnel come whistling over our heads..." (he goes on to describe some close shaves &c.). Note: Cara Leland Broughton, or Mrs Urban Hanlon Broughton, was an American heiress who married a relatively impecunious English engineer, Urban Broughton, when he was working for her father, the tycoon Henry Huttleston Rogers (of Standard Oil &c.) in 1895. Broughton became rich & successful in his own right, but the couple became enormously wealthy on the death of his wife's father in 1909. They lived in Park Street, Mayfair, & at a country house at Englefield Green. Two sons were ed. at Harrow & Urban was MP for Preston, 1915-18. Mrs Broughton made many generous gifts to various war charities. All items VG. See illustrations on our website.   £225
The Last Lap. By "G," with Preface by E.B.O. 1st Ed., 141pp. VG in chipped dw. Melrose. 1917  #64745
[HLMainPic] Reproduction from the Morning Post of the observations on the Western Front of one who "has served as a war correspondent in many parts of the world & seen the evolution of modern methods with his own eyes." This work is an exhortation to further effort to complete the job, with Victory in sight. Includes chapters on Our Infantry: the then recent Battle of Messines: German Man-Power; The German Moral &c. Interesting & scarce. I believe 'E.B.O.' to be E.B. Osborn, journalist & another writer on military matters, while the identity of 'G' remains elusive to me. Orig. blue cloth, titled in paler blue, VG in chipped dw. Scarce thus. See illustration on our website.   £75
The Times Diary & Index of the War. 1914-1918. 1st Ed., iv+342pp. The Times. 1923  #69057
[HLMainPic] An invaluable chronology, fully indexed essential reference. Rare original edition, orig. maroon cloth, gilt, VG. See illustration on our website.   £45
The ANZAC Book: Written & Illustrated in Gallipoli by men of ANZAC. 1st Ed., xv+169pp., 4to, 11 col. & 2 b/w plates., illus. throughout. Cassell. 1916  #61048
[HLMainPic] Collection of stories, rhymes, recollections of Gallipoli &c., sold for the benefit of patriotic funds connected with ANZAC. Attractive work, little rubbed but entirely sound orig. blue cloth with col. onlay on front board depicting an ANZAC in martial pose. Nice ink presentation inscrip. "Norman Campell Maughan from W.R. Matthews A.I.F. Baiuleul [sic] 1918." The only person with the name of the recipient that I can locate was born 1908 & died 1987; the giver was William Robert Matthews, a farm labourer from South Australia who enlisted in 1916, served with the 50th Bn. AIF & was wounded by gunshot on 20/10/17 & again on 16/6/18. A copy of his service record is included.   £50
Memoir of Capt. Geoffrey Grenside Bowen, M.C., The Lancashire Fusiliers. 1st Ed., [iii]+121pp., portrait frontis., 2 photos., fldg. map. Printed by Richmond Hill Printing Works, Ltd., Bournemouth. nd [c.1919].  #65271
[HLMainPic] Ed. at Charterhouse 1909-13 & passed into Sandhurst. Commissioned August 1914, Lancashire Fusiliers & joined 3rd (SR) Bn. on the East Coast for a few weeks before being posted to the 2nd Bn. in France in Sept. Wounded 21/10/14 at Le Touquet, near Ploegsteert & returned to England. Back to the 2nd Bn. in Jan. 1915 & on Bde. staff during 2nd Ypres until evacuated with jaundice. On his recovery he was posted to the 19th (S) Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers as adjutant & accompanied them to France in November 1915, but returned to the 2nd Bn. in May 1916. He was wounded on 1/7/16 between Serre & Beaumont Hamel & invalided to England once more; returned in Nov. 1916 & was awarded MC & Mentioned in Despatches for work at Arras in the spring of 1917; later served during 3rd Ypres then attached 2/2nd Lovats Scouts in UK, Nov. 1917-April 1918. Rejoined 2nd Bn. & took part in the Final Advance. He was Killed in Action commanding "B" Coy. in an attack on the Drocourt-Queant Line on 2/9/18. "Granny" Bowen wrote most informative letters to members of his family as well as keeping a daily diary for longish periods. These documents largely make up this book & provide an extremely valuable record of the life of a regular infantry officer in all its facets from the daily routine to active operations, courses of instruction &c. Concludes with letters of condolence from regimental officers, describing his death & burial. Orig. red cloth. leather sp. label, sp. little rubbed & worn o/w VG & inscribed: "Evelyn Barron Christmas 1931. J.C.G. Bowen, Zo. W. Bowen." See illustrations on our website.   £225
Comforts for the Wounded in Our Hospitals. Written by the Staff of Fort Pitt Hospital. 1st Ed., orig. pictorial wraps., 36pp., approx. 20 photos. Charham, Mackay & Co. on Behalf of the Committee of the Comforts Fund, [Central Military Hospital, Fort Pitt, Chatham]. 1915  #68378
[HLMainPic] Illustrated record of work at this military hospital in Chatham, 1914-15, including Surgical Division, Operating Theatre, Radiant Heat & Massage Dept., Dispensary, &c. Orig. pictorial wraps., little chipped/rubbed, generally VG & scarce contemporary souvenir.   £60
Artillery Operations of the Ninth British Corps at Messines, June, 1917. 1st Ed., orig. printed wraps., 124pp., 4 fldg. plates, 10 fldg. maps, 2 tables. Edited at Army War College, Aug. 1917, printed by US Govt. Ptg. Office, Washington. 1917  #66734
[HLMainPic] Designated CONFIDENTIAL! For official use only NOT TO BE TAKEN INTO FRONT LINE TRENCHES. Contains a detailed study of artillery preparations for the Battle of Messines, 7th June 1917, & reproduces various instructions, orders, reports, intelligence & communications. A Summary of Artillery Operations explains that "Systematic trench bombardment & wire cutting was commenced about May 21, 1917, & was intensified about May 28. During the period May 28 to June 6, inclusive, 297 trench bombardments were carried out with aeroplane observation. Wire was cut along front & support lines by trench mortars & 18-lbr. batteries, & on rear lines by 6-inch howitzers with aeroplane observation..." The most informative text is supported by reproductions of four aerial photos. of parts of the Messines battlefield & ten excellent actual size 1:10,000 & 1:20,000 British operational fldg. trench maps, barrage maps, &c., & several tables, all reproduced in colour. Objectives, barrage lifts &c. are shown in great detail. Orig. brown printed wraps., chipped & worn, signs of much use but generally VG, complete & rare. See illustrations on our website.   £225
Frederick Goodyear: Letters & Remains 1887-1917. 1st Ed., xv+193pp., portrait frontis. McBride Nast & Co. 1920  #64882
[HLMainPic] Memorial volume including letters from the Front. UCS & Brasenose College Oxford (where he was regarded as "unambitious & dilatory"); became Assistant Manager of the Oxford Univ. Press at Bombay, but came home in 1914 to enlist in the ranks of the Artist's Rifles: served with them in France from May-Sept. 1915 when he transferred to the RE (Meteorological Dept.) then commissioned in the Essex Regt. in Feb. 1917, joined the 2nd Essex on 16th March 1917, wounded at Fampoux during Battle of Arras, 12th May 1917 & Died of Wounds on the 23rd May inst. Contents include letters from India & around 45pp. letters from France 1915-17. These are followed by a selection of poetry & prose compositions. Blue cloth, gilt to spine, some splitting to sp., generally VG with neat ink presentation inscription: "Miss Wood 'Rita' From F. Goodyear 1922." See illustration on our website.   £125
The German Forces in the Field. 6th Revision, April, 1918. Compiled by the General Staff, War Office. Facsimile Reprint, iv+270pp. General Staff, April 1918  #66744
[HLMainPic] Full Order of Battle of German divisions &c. Orig. brown printed canvas covd. boards, rather serviceworn & stained, neat tape rerpair to front inner joint, tp worn with loss (but not affecting text), sound & rare. See illustrations on our website.   £145

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