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Poems by Claude L. Penrose, with a Biographical Preface.
1st Ed., vi+271pp., 4to, portrait frontis., 51 photos. & other illus. inc. several of Penrose's decorative designs & watercolours of Western Front scenes, 3 text decorations. Privately printed by Harrison & Sons.
1919
#66403
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![[HLMainPic]](booksThumbs/66403.jpg "Click on the left or right of the image for more images")
A misleadingly titled very substantial memorial to a regular gunner, Major Claude Quayle Lewis Penrose, M.C. & Bar. He was born in Florida in 1893 & in early youth had a disturbing method of "experimenting on his powers of endurance by knocking his curly head against a wall & persisting in the exercise until he made himself cry." His family returned to Europe when he was four & he was educated at the United Services College & the RMA Woolwich. Commissioned in the Royal Garrison Artillery in 1913, he went to France in November 1914, served with 119th Heavy Battery from January 1915 & was attached to 4th Field Survey Company on the Somme, planning counter-battery work & preparing panoramic photographs (he was awarded the MC for this work). Later he was appointed to command 245th Siege Battery (XIX Corps Heavies), won the Bar to his MC during the March Retreat & was mortally wounded by a shell which hit his Battery Command post on 31st July 1918 east of Ypres, then aged twenty-four. He died of wounds the following day at the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station & his grave lies in Esquelbecq Military Cemetery. The first 173 pages consist of extracts from his voluminous and detailed letters and material contributed by colleagues to give a full account of his life & services, including much on the Somme 1916, also various extracts from his diaries, followed by 90pp. of his poetry; the last eight being on war themes. Orig. delicate cushioned glazed purple cloth binding, a comparatively VG copy as most encountered are dry & worn due to the delicate nature of the binding, sp. sunned o/w nice copy. See illustrations on our website.
£275
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