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BUNDY (Alfred Edward)
Copy of Original War Diary of A.E. Bundy.
[iii]+[52]pp. duplicated typescript (rectos only), 4to (248x200mm), portrait frontis., reproduction of diarist's commission & MiD certificate on one plate at front, reproductions of 11 of the diarist's war sketches on 8 artpaper leaves at end. Assembled by the diarist, 1935
#66427
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![[HLMainPic]](booksThumbs/66427.jpg "Click on the left or right of the image for more images")
Rare & certainly privately circulated in a limited number, war memoirs of Alfred Edward Bundy, who enlisted in the Inns of Court OTC in May 1915, commissioned in the Middlesex Regt. in September of that year, advanced to Lt. then Capt. in 1916, Major in April 1919 & demobilised October 1919. He served in France from June-December 1916 with 2nd Middlesex, invalided sick & was employed in UK until posted to Salonica, November 1917 & after some time at the Summerhill Camp base joined the 2nd King's Own Royal Lancaster at the Struma Front, invalided from there July 1918, then returned there - to his disgust - for a few more months 1918-19. Mentioned in Despatches. Interesting record of service: with impeccable timing Bundy joined his battalion on 28th June 1916, just in time to take his platoon in 'C' Coy. into battle at La Boisselle in the first wave on the fateful 1st July 1916: "Went over the top at 5.30 a.m. [sic] after what seemed an interminable period of terrible apprehension. Our artillery seemed to increase in intensity & the German guns opened up on No Man's Land. The din was deafening, the fumes choking & visibility limited owing to the dust & clouds caused by exploding shells. It was a veritable inferno. I was momentarily expecting to be blown to pieces. My platoon continued to advance in good order without many casualties & until we had reached nearly half way to the Boche front line. I saw no sign of life there. Suddenly however an appalling rifle & machine gun fire opened against us & my men commenced to fall. I shouted 'down' but most of those that were still not hit had already taken what cover they could fine. I dropped in a shell hole & occasionally attempted to move... but bullets were forming an impenetrable barrage & exposure of the head meant certain death... in all directions came pitiful groans & cries of pain... my water bottle had been pierced with a bullet..." After dark he made a dash for the British line where he found his company commander "almost insane" so he took charge of the remainder of 'C' Coy., just 30 men left. The 2nd Middlesex suffered 22 officer & around 600 other ranks casualties that day. Bundy appears to have been one of two officers to come out unscathed. He remained with the bn. at the Front til invalided at the end of the year, later served Salonika, of which he leaves interesting accounts of various operations. The diaries are supplemented by reproductions of eleven of Bundy's pencil & water-colour sketches executed in France & Salonika. Nicely got-up, probably by a secretarial agency, & bound in brown cloth covd. boards with rounded corners, gilt repro. of diarist's signature to front, VG or fine apart from small damp patch to rear cover which has caused sl. wrinkling of a few of the plates at the end, with presentation inscrip. "Charles Raymond with Compliments & Kind Regards from A.E. Bundy Dec. 1935." [Note: the recipient was director of the Empire Theatre at Leicester Square while Bundy (1870-1942) was, among extensive business interests, Chairman of British Instructional Films Ltd.] See illustrations on our website.
£475
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