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Remembered Today:

Rarest book?


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think i have one somewhere but cannot locate at this moment

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'Letters of a V.A.D' by R.E Leake is a book I purchased a few years ago from a small book shop , I had never heard of it and have only seen one other copy since.

It is published by Melrose , not dated but I think it may be about 1918/19 . I believe the author's real name was Mollie Skinner.

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Thanks, HQ. Lengel clearly got it wrong. There seems to be confusion everywhere. Amazon list both titles as being published in 1942, whereas the British Library says 1995 for Noel's book. Clearly I must find a copy.

Hello Alan

Regarding Artillery and Trench Mortar Memories. ENSER gives the publisher as Whinyates. I searched for some time on this basis and only latterly discovered that this was wrong. The publisher is UNWIN brothers. Also if you are searching based on the author being SCOTT, this will not help as he was one of approx. 8 contributors. Hoping this info will help in your searching. Haven't you got the Raymond Smith title?

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Hello AlanRegarding Artillery and Trench Mortar Memories. ENSER gives the publisher as Whinyates. I searched for some time on this basis and only latterly discovered that this was wrong. The publisher is UNWIN brothers. Also if you are searching based on the author being SCOTT, this will not help as he was one of approx. 8 contributors. Hoping this info will help in your searching. Haven't you got the Raymond Smith title?

Thanks, HQ, Blackmaria pointed out the gap in my memory shortly after that original post. What I need is a simple means of keeping a list of my books to carry around with me. I recently found a copy of Artillery and Trench Mortar Memories, by the way.

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Here's one I just bought & which seems to be particularly scarce - Brigade Signals by J. B. Scrivenor. The author was a scientist working in Malaya before the War. After training with the Inns of Court O.T.C. he joined the Royal Engineers Signal Company going into the line for the last year of the War. Not read it yet but it apparently has excellent descriptions of the day-to-day work of a signals officer. Published by Blackwell in 1932, this particular copy is in its jacket, is signed by the author & once belonged to that inveterate collector of memoirs, RSM Finch of the Grenadiers.

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ah.....RSM Finch his little stamp!

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Here's one I just bought & which seems to be particularly scarce - Brigade Signals by J. B. Scrivenor. The author was a scientist working in Malaya before the War. After training with the Inns of Court O.T.C. he joined the Royal Engineers Signal Company going into the line for the last year of the War. Not read it yet but it apparently has excellent descriptions of the day-to-day work of a signals officer. Published by Blackwell in 1932, this particular copy is in its jacket, is signed by the author & once belonged to that inveterate collector of memoirs, RSM Finch of the Grenadiers.

I first saw my jacketed copy at the now defunct Naval and Military fare at Marlborough, it was being sold at the exorbitant price of £55 :whistle: , so I ummed and ahhed and I

ummed and ahhed again and I didn't buy it. So as usual I got home and I regretted my decision straight away, so contacted the seller and purchased it , as someone

said on a recent thread , you never regret the books you buy, only those that you don't.

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I think someone mentioned about 'Life of a Tunnelling Company' being scarce. What is probably even rarer is 'France and Flanders Revisited'

By Captain B.D. Plummer which of tells a journey, with his tunnelling colleague Smith, to their old haunts around Arras. Both officers are pictured in 'Life of a Tunnelling Company'. This little book is a fascinating Afterword to the Graham title.

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  • 3 weeks later...

"Bolts from the Blue" Sketches and Rhymes by two who were serving with a British Red Cross on the Italian front printed in Gorizia June 1917 with about 40 rhymes and sketches a very nice little item

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  • 1 month later...

I wonder if our book experts can comment on the likely value of a book that my local Oxfam lady is holding onto it pending her book expert making his rounds. Knowing my interest in the Great War , she showed it to me. I will honestly pass on any comments.

It is "Some Unofficial Adventures of the 2nd Battalion Queens Westminster Rifles 1914 to Jan 18" by "Adjutant Mare" with illustrations by LC Pierpoint. I understand that the author copped it in 1918 .

It is in rather indifferent condition with a taped spine but appears intact.

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you never regret the books you buy, only those that you don't.

Oh how very true - and not just books. The John Bratby painting I let go just because we "needed" a double bed, the XK120 in the 60's, the bronze in Budapest of Franz Joseph 38 years ago this year. The Leica going for a song. I could go on but the pain the pain.

Thanks for the memory BM, it still hurts!

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A lovely little purchase "Memoirs of an Infantry officer" one of 300 copies on hand made paper, T. E. G. in a slip case with the D/W bound into the book signed by Sassoon and the illustrator {1931} pleased or what

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A lovely little purchase "Memoirs of an Infantry officer" one of 300 copies on hand made paper, T. E. G. in a slip case with the D/W bound into the book signed by Sassoon and the illustrator {1931} pleased or what

Wow, photo please, T.E.G is top edge gold?

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yes sorry

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There is a dormant member of GWF who met Sassoon a few times when a Clare college.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Not strictly a Great War book but ordered to day the 2nd World War Official History which covers gas, the first few chapters often cover the lessons learned from the Great War. Oh it's originally secret, and very few copies produced.

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It looks like the book business thought they had had enough books on the war before it was even over!

From April 1918

15apr18%20ev%20dis_zpsiwzlfnod.jpg

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"It looks like the book business thought they had had enough books on the war before it was even over!"

What would the unknown author of that piece think about the vast number of books being written about the centenary?

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or about the deluge of War books that followed some 10 years after his article?

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or about the deluge of War books that followed some 10 years after his article?

Indeed ... I wonder who he / she was, and whether there was any sequel to the original comments?

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Have any of you good people any knowledge of the 'Gallant Legion' collection of books from Australia. They seem to be cracking collection, anyone got any favourites?

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Have any of you good people any knowledge of the 'Gallant Legion' collection of books from Australia. They seem to be cracking collection, anyone got any favourites?

Sorry to say I'm not familiar with these books. Can you give more details? Are they originals or a reprint series? Contemporary Australian accounts can be rather expensive - presumably only being published in relatively small numbers.

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Hi Alan,

They are a set produced in the 1930's in Australia. If you Abe 'Gallant Legion' you will get a feel of the titles, there are 12 in the series. You will know Jacka's mob, The Gallant Company, The Fghting Cameliers etc..

Cheers

Grant

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