Dust Jacket Collector Posted 16 February , 2018 Share Posted 16 February , 2018 I thought this might be of interest. One of the finest of the German Memoirs published in 1932 (originally 'Westfront 1914 - 1918'). This original is rather scarce particularly in it's almost 3-D jacket. For me its up there with Junger's 'Storm of Steel' and Broger's 'Pillbox 17', but Lengel in his 'World War One Memories' book describes it as 'dark & dreary'. You can't please everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 16 February , 2018 Share Posted 16 February , 2018 What a great find , well done ! Talking about rare books , I took delivery of a book I bought on e-bay today and in the back it mentions a book by Baden-Powell called ' Quick training for war ' and it says 40,000 had been sold in 14 days . I thought therefor that it would be quite a common book , but looking quickly on-line there are only a handful of original copies for sale at large prices . Just goes to show that a large print run doesn't always mean it's going to be a common book in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 16 February , 2018 Share Posted 16 February , 2018 15 minutes ago, Black Maria said: What a great find , well done ! Talking about rare books , I took delivery of a book I bought on e-bay today and in the back it mentions a book by Baden-Powell called ' Quick training for war ' and it says 40,000 had been sold in 14 days . I thought therefor that it would be quite a common book , but looking quickly on-line there are only a handful of original copies for sale at large prices . Just goes to show that a large print run doesn't always mean it's going to be a common book in the future. Indeed. I have a little Kipling pamphlet called ‘To Fighting Americans’ of which apparently 50,000 copies were printed but only 6 are known to have survived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 16 February , 2018 Share Posted 16 February , 2018 The smaller the book and the more best-selling, the more likely it is to have been read to pieces, I suppose... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 16 February , 2018 Share Posted 16 February , 2018 17 minutes ago, seaJane said: The smaller the book and the more best-selling, the more likely it is to have been read to pieces, I suppose... That's true , the book I got the information from is only pocket sized so I presume the Baden-Powell one is of similar dimensions , so it could easily be carried on active service . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 21 February , 2018 Share Posted 21 February , 2018 Have a look at this bizarre little book running to 22 pages about an Edinburgh University Chemistry lecturer telling his tale of starting and running a TNT factory on the outskirts of Edinburgh to help the Great War effort. There is no date on it or publisher. Discuss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 21 February , 2018 Share Posted 21 February , 2018 Sounds fascinating. New one to me. Is it available on-line anywhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 21 February , 2018 Share Posted 21 February , 2018 7 minutes ago, Dust Jacket Collector said: Sounds fascinating. New one to me. Is it available on-line anywhere? Not on COPAC- so scarce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 21 February , 2018 Share Posted 21 February , 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, other ranker said: Have a look at this bizarre little book running to 22 pages about an Edinburgh University Chemistry lecturer telling his tale of starting and running a TNT factory on the outskirts of Edinburgh to help the Great War effort. There is no date on it or publisher. Discuss! A Google Search indicates that it was a privately printed pamphlet. http://5.77.57.204/~landgcp/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/An-Illustrated-History-of-Lindsay-and-Gilmour-and-Raimes-Clark-and-Co-Ltd.pdf Page 33 "According to an obituary published in the ‘Chemical Journal’ of 1940, the course of his career was entirely altered by World War I. In a privately printed pamphlet, ‘Starting a war-time factory,’ Cumming wrote- ‘I did not know to whom I should apply, but decided to address a letter to Lord Kitchener, stating I was a trained Chemist, that supplies of sulphuric acid and other requirements were available in Edinburgh, and asking if my services in this connection would be of any use to the War Office.’ The letter led to an interview with Lord Moulton and thereafter the establishment of a T.N.T. factory in Edinburgh under the directorship of Sir James Walker, Alexander Cumming and J.W.Romanes. Only one of the three directors had any experience in a chemical factory, J.W. Romanes, and he continued to run the Lothian Chemical Co in Edinburgh after the war. The combined efforts of the three led to the production of T.N.T of the highest quality and in large quantities.* In recognition of his services to the country Dr Cumming received an O.B.E." Footnote *In 1918 H.M. Explosives Factory at Craigleith was closed down. The site on Craigleith Road is now occupied by a shopping centre. There is a photograph on page 32 of Dr A C Cumming. Perhaps the Royal Society of Chemistry would know some sources for the pamphlet Starting a war-time factory Edit: Wikipedia page Alexander Charles Cumming https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Charles_Cumming "In the First World War he was involved in the manufacture of TNT at the Lothian Chemical Company on Broughton Road, then moved to HM Explosives Factory at Craigleith on the west side of the city". "In 1915 demands for T.N.T. increased and because sulphuric acid was manufactured within the City, the production of the explosive could be accomplished comparatively easily. Consequently, the Lothian Chemical Company started to manufacture T.N.T. but because it was considered to be unsafe to prepare high explosive in a populated area a more remote site was chosen, namely the yards of Craigleith Quarry, on the outskirts of the City. Output of T.N.T. continued until the end of the War. The quality of the explosive reached a high standard, and towards the end of hostilities, the efficiency of the factory was the highest in the country". http://earthwise.bgs.ac.uk/index.php/Building_stones_in_Edinburgh_from_the_Gullane_Formation On 17/02/2018 at 01:20, Black Maria said: That's true , the book I got the information from is only pocket sized so I presume the Baden-Powell one is of similar dimensions , so it could easily be carried on active service . Baden-Powell's book is available online, and the pages do look shorter tham usual. Quick training for war : a few practical suggestions illustrated by diagrams by Lieut.General Sir Robert Baden-Powell. 1914 Archive.org. A digitised microfilm. Cheers Maureen Edited 22 February , 2018 by Maureene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 22 February , 2018 Share Posted 22 February , 2018 Maureen, Thanks for finding that info on this little book. It seems such a strange story to write up and publish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 22 February , 2018 Share Posted 22 February , 2018 3 hours ago, other ranker said: It seems such a strange story to write up and publish. As it was a privately printed pamphlet, it was probably written for others who were also involved, in the way many regimental histories were privately printed. Perhaps when he was awarded the OBE someone said to him that as the work done was important enough for him to receive the OBE, he really should document the history. Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 23 February , 2018 Share Posted 23 February , 2018 Bucher's In the Line, one of the very best German war novel/accounts - regardless of Lengel's opinion, has just been republished in paperback. Well worth reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 23 February , 2018 Share Posted 23 February , 2018 1 hour ago, David Filsell said: Bucher's In the Line, one of the very best German war novel/accounts - regardless of Lengel's opinion, has just been republished in paperback. Well worth reading. Naval & Military Press has a 2005 reprint edition, currently reduced to £6.99 https://www.naval-military-press.com/product/in-the-line/ " He had five close friends of whom three were veterans like himself and one by one they died, the last, Riedel by name, crushed by a tank in one of the last battles of the war; of that band of brothers only Bucher lived to tell the tale. His story takes him to nearly every part of the Western Front – the Marne, Ypres, Notre Dame de Lorette, the Vosges, Verdun, the Somme, Champagne, Chemin des Dames, Flanders again, the March 1918 offensive, the battles of May 1918, the Marne again, and finally the retreat and collapse of the German army’s resistance." Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 25 February , 2018 Share Posted 25 February , 2018 On 03/02/2018 at 11:40, other ranker said: I bought a book called, 'The Gates Of Kut', by Lindsay Russell printed by Cassell in 1917. It is a novel based in Kut at the time of the siege. There is plenty about who the author was on google, but I cannot find a record of one for sale anywhere. I paid £4 for it. The owner must have been connected to the Kut campaign somehow as there are newspaper clippings of obits of people who were and other articles stuck throughout it. The owner was Hamilton F Duncan LCC. Does anyone know who this is? Have found a gem? There is a probate record for a Hamilton Ford Duncan who died 1977. The death was registered at Wandsworth. The death register gives his year of birth as 1895. From the 1939 Register he was living in Wimbledon and his occupation was given as Textile buyer LCC Could this be your man? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 25 February , 2018 Share Posted 25 February , 2018 12 minutes ago, familyhistoryman said: There is a probate record for a Hamilton Ford Duncan who died 1977. The death was registered at Wandsworth. The death register gives his year of birth as 1895. From the 1939 Register he was living in Wimbledon and his occupation was given as Textile buyer LCC Could this be your man? Tony You will find him on a family tree on the Ancestry website. Your man was born in America the son of Hamilton Ford Duncan Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 25 February , 2018 Share Posted 25 February , 2018 Hi Tony, The bookplate in the front of the Kut book has the address 22 Farquhar Road, Wimbledon Park, Surrey on it. The last newspaper obit pasted in was dated 1969, so that all could fit. I wonder what the fascination with Kut was about? Cheers Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 25 February , 2018 Share Posted 25 February , 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, other ranker said: Hi Tony, The bookplate in the front of the Kut book has the address 22 Farquhar Road, Wimbledon Park, Surrey on it. The last newspaper obit pasted in was dated 1969, so that all could fit. I wonder what the fascination with Kut was about? Cheers Grant The address rang a bell with me , I have a copy of 'The breaking of the Storm ' by C.A.L Brownlow with Duncan's bookplate in it . Pasted in the back are many newspaper clippings of obituaries of WW1 veterans from the fifties and sixties ( including Sidney Rogerson ) He has also written on the free endpaper Hamilton Ford Duncan 7th London Brigade R.F.A and London Scottish 1914-1927 . So we now know he was a veteran and that he liked putting newspaper clippings into his Great War related books ! Edited 25 February , 2018 by Black Maria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 26 February , 2018 Share Posted 26 February , 2018 Just returned from South Africa where I found on my travels a second-hand bookshop at a tiny place in the middle of the Great Karoo. Came away with Crozier's 'A Brass Hat in No Man's Land' (4th impression May 1930), Bairnsfather's 'Bullets and Billets' (3rd impression December 1916) and Stephen King-Hall's 'North Sea Diary' in its original manifestation of 'A Naval Lieutenant 1914-18' ( published 1919 under the pseudonym of Etienne, which is apparently quite rare in that form). All in good nick though without dust jackets, for the total sum of 370 rand (£23). Cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 26 February , 2018 Share Posted 26 February , 2018 23 hours ago, Black Maria said: The address rang a bell with me , I have a copy of 'The breaking of the Storm ' by C.A.L Brownlow with Duncan's bookplate in it . Pasted in the back are many newspaper clippings of obituaries of WW1 veterans from the fifties and sixties ( including Sidney Rogerson ) He has also written on the free endpaper Hamilton Ford Duncan 7th London Brigade R.F.A and London Scottish 1914-1927 . So we now know he was a veteran and that he liked putting newspaper clippings into his Great War related books ! Great stuff Black Maria. I have never seen a copy of 'The Breaking Of The Storm' for sale. Its been on my want list since I started collecting, its one of the few from the ' I Was there' magazines that I have not found. Cheers Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 26 February , 2018 Share Posted 26 February , 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, other ranker said: Great stuff Black Maria. I have never seen a copy of 'The Breaking Of The Storm' for sale. Its been on my want list since I started collecting, its one of the few from the ' I Was there' magazines that I have not found. Cheers Grant Yes , it's a scarce one . I purchased my copy from Tom Donovan back in 2004 for £60 and I can't remember seeing any copies since. I have also managed to find quite a few of the memoirs mentioned in the magazines , the only one that I was quite disappointed with was 'Chorus to Adventurers' which had very little Great War content and a naff jacket . Edited 26 February , 2018 by Black Maria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 27 February , 2018 Share Posted 27 February , 2018 Here’s a copy of this elusive book - not mine, sadly but from a fellow collector. I bought mine donkey’s years ago for, I think, £8. Not seen another for sale since Black Maria’s copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 27 February , 2018 Share Posted 27 February , 2018 (edited) £8 for yours £60 for mine , I wonder how much the next copy to turn up in a dealer's catalogue will be ? The jacketed copy must be almost as rare as your 'Devil in the Drum' , shame it's not got the same type of striking jacket though. Edited 27 February , 2018 by Black Maria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 I'm not sure how rare this book is , it's a second edition so there maybe a few copies out there . It was quite cheap so took a punt on it and although I haven't read it yet it looks like it's my kind of book. Looking on the web a copy has turned up recently in a bookshop in New Zealand ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 Looks good. Presumably a Memorial volume? but not listed in Tom’s recent bibliography. I was going to look on ABE but they seem to have gone offline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 16 minutes ago, Dust Jacket Collector said: Looks good. Presumably a Memorial volume? but not listed in Tom’s recent bibliography. I was going to look on ABE but they seem to have gone offline. Yes , he was killed in 1916 . The book is 128pp and 112pp are his letters home , the rest is tributes and a list of his fallen comrades from Durisdeer . It also contains photographs of these men . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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