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L.F.R. [i.e. ROBINSON (Lt. Lionel F., RN)]
Naval Guns in Flanders 1914-1915.
1st Ed., viii+184pp., frontis., 18 photos., 13 maps. Constable.
1920
#65152
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![[HLMainPic]](booksThumbs/65152.jpg "Click on the left or right of the image for more images")
In October 1914 the author, a naval Gunnery Officer, was ordered to Belgium to command a unit of 6-inch naval guns on railway mountings, HM Armoured Train 'Jellicoe.' This unusual unit moved around Flanders giving invaluable artillery support during the First Battle of Ypres, winter operations before La Bassee, then at Neuve Chapelle & on the Yser front in the spring of 1915. A fine personal account containing much interesting detail, some scarce photos. & useful maps. Roll of personnel of HMAT 'Jellicoe.' This copy appears to have belonged to the author's uncle. The title page bears the publisher's embossed stamp "Presentation Copy" & there are several loose insertions to include (i) Contemp. (c.1915) 3pp. foolscap typescript account on official paper headed "H.M.A.T. Jellicoe" being a short account of the organisation, armament & operational services of the train, Oct. 1914-April 1915, with several neat ink corrections to the text; (ii) 6pp. ms. letter from the author to his uncle, on Union Line decorative notepaper while on board SS Maheno at sea between Auckland & Sydney dated 2.5.20. He writes, inter al, "Your letter of 5 March... contained the first news, to me, of the fact that my small book was out. Maybe I'll see it soon..." He goes on to describe his work in connection with the visit to HRH The Prince of Wales to Fiji: "I had of course met HRH on two or three occasions in France & on the Belgian Coast, he remembered me more as the bearded ruffian of the armoured train - for in 1914-15 I had a beard. He is the same as ever a jovial sort & typical naval officer. The first night I was his guest at dinner, we argued & recollected till midnight - he being as deeply interested as I was honoured. The next evening he joined us all in the Wardroom [of HMS Renown] which immediately assumed the aspects of a riotous gunroom of years gone by - HRH being the leading spark in every devilment & ribald song that passed. How he loves to break away! He is a great amusement at dances..." (iii) several small items of minor ephemera. Orig. olive green cloth, gilt, VG, interesting copy & rare. See illustrations on our website.
£350
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