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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

War Manuals extracts


Muerrisch

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I have a huge collection of British Army manuals from 1850 to 1939. [not here, I hasten to add, but somewhere safe but handy].

Subjects include: Field service, mobilization, war establishments, musketry, infantry training, cavalry training, cyclists, mounted infantry, artillery, engineers including mining, medical, Army Service Corps, Artificers, Pay, Military Law, King's Regs, signalling, ceremonial, bugle calls, ........

Most of these are in complete runs from about 1880, in other words, there is a complete stream of updating. I have just about everything for Great War.

So, would there be a market if I took the trouble to digicam sections [mostly the relevant illustrations] and did a simple DIY booklet of, say, 50 double sided A4 pages in a folder? Cost would be about £15 including p&p. A booklet would be printed by me as and when there was an order. To a degree, Pals could drive the contents by demand, or even have extras for themselves, by negotiation. I would need a good number of firm orders to be bothered to do the initial photography and, as I prefer decent natural light, it would probably be Springtime before the job was done.

[Why do I not write a book about them, and get it published?, I hear you ask. Well, I have three proper books on the go, in various stages of publication, and cannot be bothered with another. But the manuals are not being used properly at the moment, and deserve a wider readership. When I started collecting, a fiver was a dear second hand book, and the manuals were not sought after. Now, its a month's pocket money to buy Military Law or the Pay Warrant].

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LB,

The offer to share your library is an extremely generous one. I appreciate it very much; so I am sure will others.

I would certainly like to have a copy. I have emailed you with a notion that might help the project along.

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Me, too. Thanks.

Judging from bookshop stocks and prices, there were big print runs of the hygiene manual but small runs for military law, which indicates interesting priorities.

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Have you considered print on demand operations like Naval & Military Press? If you want more information on this concept and costs email me and I will put you in touch with a work colleague who can advise you. There would be minimal work involved for you and it will get the items back into the public domain in print.

Ryan

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Great idea - I would certainly be interested.

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David - excellent idea. I'm certainly very interested

Charles

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi David,

I've belatedly come across this thread and you can certainly but me down for a copy.

Roy

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  • 1 month later...

David,

I am sure your thinking, straight or lateral, is in fine fettle. Did you reach a conclusion?

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Right now I am struggling to get illustrated/ annotated 'Old Soldiers Never Die' published on 22 June so everything has to queue behind it. But certainly not out of mind, and I am determined to do produce the manuals extracts in some form or another.

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I would be very interested in any training manuals regarding the Royal Field Artillery.

Regards,

Tim

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Right now I am struggling to get illustrated/ annotated 'Old Soldiers Never Die' published on 22 June so everything has to queue behind it. But certainly not out of mind, and I am determined to do produce the manuals extracts in some form or another.

Great stuff! Good luck with Old Soldiers Never Die.

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