Turner Donovan Military Books - The world’s finest selection of rare and out-of-print books on British military history from 1800 to 1945
  Stock last updated on 18 March 2019
 
   


Second World War Second World War, Including regimental and divisional histories, personal accounts, general histories and works of reference   153 Books
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Notes on G.S.G.S. Maps of France, Belgium & Holland. December 1943. 52pp. letterpress & maps, +xii & xiv & cxxvi & xv & xiiipp. (Glossary of French Topograpchical Terms & Abbreviations, + Gazetteers of the stated countries), num. maps inset, + several dozen maps & charts (many coloured & fldg.) bound in between the text pages, most reproduced from the original sheets. Foolscap format. GSGS, War Office, December 1943, with SECRET classification & date December 1943 to front. Printed for the War Office. Contemp.  #57281
[HLMainPic] Very rare SECRET contemp. British intelligence material produced by GSGS [Geographical Section, General Staff], the introduction stating: "The object of these notes is to show what maps are available, or will shortly be so, in this area, to describe the material used for their preparation, & to provide certain auxiliary information such as glossaries, gazetteers, & detailed indices. It must be emphasized that the information given in these notes is only accurate to the date to which it applies, December 1943, & that, for instance, new series, new editions of individual sheets, or new town plans may be prepared. In general terms, however, the maps mentioned will be those supplied for operational requirements in this area." The purpose seems to have been to provide examples of maps & comment on their accuracy, possibly for the guidance of maps supply officers at Army, Corps & Div. HQs so that they could select the right type of map for any operation they were planning. There were four volumes in the 'series', this one & others on The Balkans; Germany, Denmark & Central Europe, & Italy, Sicily, Sardinia & Corsica. The volume here presented contains notes on mapping & survey of the stated areas, & how they were carried out by cartographers & survey teams, & some of the historical background of the countries' own surveys, as well as the large selection of maps & plans with detailed notes on their composition & value, lists of sheets in the GSGS Map Library, &c. Orig. paper covd. boards (dec. coloured map, stated to be abstract from GSGS 2957, Europe & Asia 1/4m, Sheet 19, Central Europe, but in fact it is a map of Western Europe in the series!), VG. See illustrations on our website.   £225
Secret. GHQ ME Survey Discussion, Cairo, 18-19 May 1943. Directors: MGRA, DMT, DD Survey. Rare original report, 26pp., foolscap, dup. typescript stapled into card wraps. with title to front. MT1, GHQ, MEF. Contemp.  #53505
[HLMainPic] Report of a conference on Survey held at Cairo including: The Organisation & Working of a Recce Wing, Western Desert Air Force Alamein to Tunis (Notes from a lecture by Maj. R.E. Ferens, GII [Air] Eighth Army); The Deployment of RA & RE Survey Units (Notes from a lecture given by Lt.-Col. J.T. Whetton, OC 4 Survey Regt. RA); Information from Air Photographs (Notes from a lecture by Capt. R.R. Dalton, OC, AAPIU [Western Desert Det.] - "It has been conclusively proved that air photos. can supply so much information not avilable from other sources that the establishment of the AAPIU Eight Army has been increased from 3 officer interpreters to 11 offrs & a number of draughtsmen & clerks. In the near future the establishment will be doubled. Air photos are required at all stages of a campaign - from planning to assault, & the subsequent exploitation. The best results have been obtained from decentralisation" &c.). Further sections detail the use & dissemination of information from air photos., preparation of defence overprint maps, map distribution in 8th Army. No indication of number of copies printed/distributed, but stated SECRET & evidently for the use of the small number of officers engaged in this work so doubtless a rare survival. See illustration on our website.   £225
Royal Engineers Battlefield Tour: The Seine to the Rhine. Volume I: An Account of the Operations Included in the Tour. Volume II: A Guide to the Conduct of the Tour. 1st Ed., 2 Vols., foolscap, xviii+217pp., 49 photos., 37 maps on 14 fldg. leaves; x+83pp., 31 maps. VG in dws. Chief Engineers British Army of the Rhine. Feb. 1947  #58760
[HLMainPic] RESTRICTED. "Prepared by HQ 8 AGRE... to enable present & future REs to study certain operations of particular engineer interest in the 1940 Flanders Campaign & in the 1944/45 Campaign in NW Europe..." Fabulous detail on RE aspects of ops. inc. Arnhem, battle of the Rhineland, Rhine Crossing &c. Numerous accounts by participating officers & NCOs. Excellent photos. & exceptional, detailed col. printed maps of operations. Orig. blue qtr. morocco, gilt to front & spines, near fine in dws, & rare. See illustration on our website.   £375
The Story of 46 Division 1939-1945. 1st Ed., orig. printed wraps., 136pp., 4to, 47 photos., 19 maps (most fldg.). Graz: Univ. Book Press "Styria". 1946  #58722
[HLMainPic] Tunisia, Italy & Greece. Detailed contemp. history & rolls of commands & staff, awards. Order of Battle &c. Many good photos. & various coloured maps based on contemp. official sheets. Orig. wraps., first 20 leaves dampstained/marked, overall sound & rather scarce. See illustration on our website.   £60
7th Somerset Battn. Home Guard. Unbound proof copy, pages loosely contained in green dec. wraps., 67pp., several sketches, ep map. Eventually Printed for Private Circulation Only by Bennett Bros., Bristol. nd [1945].  #50437
[HLMainPic] Raising, organisation & training of the unit, which operated between Bristol & Wells, inc. Portishead, Clevedon, Keynsham, Farrington Gurney & Temple Cloud. Rolls of officers. This proof copy records that the author, Lt.-Col. Sir J.J. Tweedie, elected to remove his name from the title page, also his address, Wraxall House, Wraxall, Som., & contains several pencilled dircetions to the printer re aranagement of material. Interesting re-press example & very scarce in the final printed form. See illustration on our website.   £45
British Army of the Rhine Battlefield Tour. Third Day: 8 Corps Operations South of Caumont 30-31 July 1944 (Operation Bluecoat). 1st Ed., [vii]+49pp., foolscap, 7 maps (6 bound-in, 1 in endpocket). Prepared under the Direction of G (Trg) HQ BAOR. 1947  #50638
[HLMainPic] RESTRICTED. Detailed account of the planning & execution of this phase of the Normandy Breakout, with various original Operation Orders &c. reproduced. Excellent coloured fldg. maps. Preface states that this tour is "especially concerned with the part played by 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division in those operations. It forms the necessary background to a detailed study of the battle carried out on the ground." Orig. blue cloth, gilt to front. VG & rare (just 150 copies printed of this edition), with ownership inscrip. of the writer Alan Sillitoe & several ts. foolscap sheets loosely inserted re contemp. training exercise, outlining a situation where, as GOC 15th Div., you have to decide how to alter your plan during the battle to benefit from air support. With list of officers in syndicates during this exercise. See illustration on our website.   £220
Atlantic Bridge. The Official Account of R.A.F. Transport Command's Ocean Ferry. 1st Ed., 75pp., photos. & maps. HMSO. 1945  #52964
[HLMainPic] Fairly common work in a series of works produced by HMSO celebrating various aspects of WW2 ops., but a very nice copy bound iin half blue morocco by Birdsall, retaining orig. dec. wraps, near fine with armorial bookplate of Geoffrey Ronald Codrington [ie. Col Sir Geoffrey Ronald Codrington KCVO CB CMG, DSO, OBE, TD] & later ownership inscrip. of the writer Alan Sillitoe. See illustration on our website.   £10
Arnhem Lift: Diary of a Glider Pilot. 3rd imp., 96pp., map. VG in sl. chipped dw. Pilot Press. 1945  #55663
[HLMainPic] Eyewitness account of 1st Aorborne Div. at Arnhem. Nice copy in sl. chipped dw. See illustration on our website.   £15
Evasion Map, SECRET, Kra Isthsmus, 19th March 1945. Fldg. paper map, 15x16-inches approx., 1:2000,0000 scale. Prepared by "E" Group, Colombo & Printed by Survey Dept., Main HQ, ALFSEA. 1945  #29665
[HLMainPic] Kota Baru northwards through Thailand to Victoria Point & beyond. Danger Areas, Potential Danger Areas (Probably Patrolled); Safe Areas & Presumed Safe Areas are all identified as well as roads, railways, swamps &c.). The key includes 'Specially Recommended Safe Areas' but there aren't any! VG. See illustration on our website.   £45
Wellington Roll of Honour 1939-1945. 1st Ed., ix+249pp., 500+ photo. portraits. For the college. 1949  #58069
[HLMainPic] Detailed obits. & portraits of over 500 soldiers, airmen & sailors from Wellington School who fell in WW2. Orig. blue cloth, VG. See illustrations on our website.   £25

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