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War Diary of the 24th (South Wales Borderers) by the Late Captain C.J. Paterson (Adjutant of the 1st Battalion).
1st Ed., 30pp., 255x205mm, several sketches of dugouts, 2 sketch maps. London: Printed for Private Circulation.
1915
#69292
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![[HLMainPic]](booksThumbs/69292.jpg "Click on the left or right of the image for more images")
Charles James ("Jim") Paterson was a regular officer commissioned in 1907. Detailed diary from 11th August 1914 ("Mobilization finished, thank goodness!") including Retreat From Mons, advance to the Aisne, move to Flanders and into the line at Langemarck. The diary closes on the evening of 24th October 1914 when the regiment was relieved in the line by French troops and went to billets (two open fields) at Hooge. Jim Paterson was wounded on 29th October, died of wounds on 1st November 1914 and is buried in Ypres Town Cemetery. He was twenty-six years old and was Mentioned in Despatches. The Foreword states: "...to relatives who knew Jim Paterson, the Diary will be intensely interesting, and a source of pride at the thought of all the hard work of mobilization, embarkation, and hard marching day after day in all weathers, borne not only without murmur, but always with smiling cheerfulness." Green silk covered limp boards with cord tie, blocked to front with a slightly different text to the title page: "War Diary of the late Capt. C.J. Paterson, Adjutant 1st Battalion 24th (South Wales Borderers)" and regimental badge, VG & rare with presentation inscrip. "Jim - in remembrance of his Godfather..." [i.e., the subject of the volume, who was his uncle] together with loosely inserted letter from France dated October 14th, 1914: "...Not really very nice work just now. We sit in our trenches and have the German bullets and shells over us every now and then. Never mind we shall beat the nasty old Germans yet and when I come home we shall have a good time. We will go to the zoo and to Olympia..."
£275
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