Covenants with Death

[K.Baker]

Hi im new to all this so i hope im posting in the correct place. i just started looking into my G.Grandads role in the war and ive been lent a very old and fragile book called COVENANTS WITH DEATH, Daily Express Publications, London 1934. Edited by T.A.Innes & Ivor Castle.

"The purpose of this book is to reveal the horror, suffering and essential bestiality of modern war, and with that revelation, to warn the nation against the peril of foreign entanglements that must lead Briton to a new Armageddon - All the pictures are taken from authentic photographs."

Its a black hard back about A-4 size and on the cover is a red skull and skeletal hand holding a scroll, and below the title in red. It has about 150-ish pages of photographs from the final days of peace through to the end of the war, including shots of civilians and military on all sides. Also included are many photos of individuals and groups in "Live" battles, before-after scenes, POWs, military aide stations and the inevitable results, death, as well as the cameradery and apparent friendlyness of both the Brits and the Germans towards each other as individuals (Photos of Brits & Germans together smiling and helping each other). Many of the photos are a full page in size, and some spread across two pages and all are very clear in details. Apart from the initial quote (Above) and a map page with figures of dead & wounded on Western Front locations (as of 1936?), there is little text information though, mainly just a few words or a location along with each picture, but the photo story speaks volumes.

The owner of the book told me its very rare and exagerated greatly that i was to take good care of it, as its in a Very fragile state.

If anyone knows of this book or its rarity, or if anyone would like any copies of the photos contained i will attempt to scan and send them directly whilst i still have the book on loan. I guess there is well over 200 photos in there (and 1 trench report for ALBERT 19/02/17) and im not sure that the books condition could be maintained doing that many scans, so if anyone has any particular "theme" of photo in mind please let me know and ill get right on it.

KB

Edited 4 February , 2004 by K.Baker

[Andy Shaw]

KB,

the book seems to retail for around £30, not to bad for WW1 vintage circa 1930s, although the description might put some people off!.

A selection of graphic photographs from World War I published by the Daily Express newspaper, London, in 1934. The last 15 pages were originally sealed with a warning that they should not be viewed by children or "people of a sensitive nature" due to their "inescapably horrible" nature. .

Several editions are available from the 'out of print' booksellers websites

Andy

[Max Poilu]

This is a very interesting book and still relatively easy to find - the challenge is finding an example with the seal still intact!

Of course the images, although perhaps shocking in the 1930's, are rather less shocking in the 'anything goes, no censorship please' 21st century.

[K.Baker]

Thanks for the info guys. It does indeed contain the warning for the last 15 pages, it also says the final section is essential to a full view of the World War. I found the book on the whole a very interesting and thought provoking experiance, including the last 15 pages, being that they all seem to be in eastern Europe, the Balkans and Russia. Horrors that i had only associated with the Nazi in WWII.

I wouldnt recommend toddlers seeing some of the images, but Giles Poilu is right, i think most, if not all of us today have been exposed to similar or even worse images many times over. I could quite happily go through life with-out ever seeing some of these pictures but it has deffinitly opened my eyes further on a fascinating subject, completly different to the sterile, all chivilrous descriptions i remember from my school days (although as i said before, there are obvious pictures of friendly-ness between individual Brits & Germans. Was this common? and was it just between Brits & Germans?)).

I also found it interesting there are very few, if any photos of officers or political leaders. Every shot is of the average Joe in the street or the lower rank soldiers. As this was published in 1934 im sure some could already hear the storm returning and aimed this book (which i guess was openly available?) as some sort of warning to "Joe" who was gonna be asked and/or told to do it all over again. I wonder how many readers of this book volunteered for WWII?

Well im glad i've had an opportunity to view this book, im sure when i hand it back it will disappear into a cupboard for another 10, 20 maybe 30 years and hopefully be picked up by, and interest another youngster one day.

Thanks again for your comments and info.

KB

[Tony Cox]

i found this book about two years ago at a car boot, and paid the the price of 6p yes 6p in a box of mixed books all intacted it pays to keep those eyes peeled.

Tony