ALAMEIN

[ North African Campaign, 1940-1943. ] Duplicated four-page document giving 'Some Golden rules for the desert', 'Tips for the desert' and 'Hints on desert driving for "B" vehicles'. With signature of Lt M. P. M. Ollard, Leicestershire Yeomanry.

Author: 
North African Campaign, British Army, 1940-1943 [ Lt M. P. M. Ollard of 154 (Leicestershire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery; Field Marshal Montgomery of Alamein ]
Publication details: 
[ North African Campaign, British Army, 1940-1943. ]
£56.00

4pp., 4to. On four leaves. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with minor rust marks from paperclip. Ownership signature at top right of first page: 'Lt M P M Ollard'. The pages are numbered in type 5 [corrected in manuscript to '1'], 2, 3 and 4. The first page is headed 'Some golden rules for the desert', with subheadings 'Desert March Discipline', 'Protection', 'Navigation', 'Messing, Rations etc.', 'Maintenance' and 'General'. The next section is headed 'Tips for the desert', with subheadings 'Clothing', 'Stores and Equipment', 'M.

[ Barrie Pitt, military historian. ] Typed account, titled 'Monty', of meetings with Field Marshal Montgomery of Alamein, first in Egypt in 1942, and then 'some time in the 1970s'.

Author: 
Barrie Pitt (1918-2006), British military historian [ Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (1887-1976); Basil Liddell-Hart; the Savage Club, London ]
Publication details: 
Without place or date [ 1980s? ].
£180.00

4pp., 8vo. In good condition, with light signs of age. A lively and vivid account, as the opening indicates: '"Ah!

[ Barrie Pitt, military historian. ] Collection of material apparently assembled during the writing of his book 'Churchill and the Generals', including typescript of a piece on Montgomery of Alamein, titled 'The Making of a Field Marshall'.

Author: 
[ Barrie Pitt (1918-2006), military historian and editor, 'Purnell's History of the Second World War'
Publication details: 
None of the items with place or date. [ 'Churchill and the Generals' published in 1981. ]
£235.00

The collection is in good condition, with light signs of age and wear. ONE: Photocopied typescript of the beginning of a piece titled 'The Making of a Field Marshall', on the early career of Montgomery of Alamein. 10pp., 8vo. With a few autograph emendations. Ends abruptly. Apparently unpublished. TWO: Two black and white press photographs, each 13.5 x 19cm.

[ Major General Douglas Wimberley. ] Author's copy, with bookplate and autograph additions, of typed volume: '"Scottish Soldier". An Autobiography by Douglas Wimberley. (A private account for my wife and family) Volume II Part IV - World War II'.

Author: 
Douglas Wimberley [ Major-General Douglas Neil Wimberley (1896-1983), commander of the 51st (Highland) Division at the Second Battle of El Alamein in the Second World War; North African Campaign]
Publication details: 
Place not stated. 1974.
£1,200.00

[3] + 280pp., 8vo, on the rectos only of the leaves. Bookplate of Douglas Neil Wimberley on flyleaf. Around half a dozen additional duplicated maps inserted. With copious autograph additions on upwards of 70pp. of the blank reverses of the leaves, several taking up the whole page, and a number initialled 'DW'. Internally in good condition, on aged and worn paper, in worn green fake-cloth binding, with 'SCOTTISH SOLDIER | VOLUME II | BY | DOUGLAS WIMBERLEY' in faded gilt on cover.

[ Major General Douglas Wimberley. ] Signed Duplicated typed volume: '"Scottish Soldier." by Douglas Wimberley. (a private account for my wife and family). Volume VII Final Miscellany Volume.' [including '"Montgomery", a personal Memoir']

Author: 
Douglas Wimberley [ Major-General Douglas Neil Wimberley (1896-1983), commander of the 51st (Highland) Division at the Second Battle of El Alamein in the Second World War ]
Publication details: 
Foreword dated from 'Foxhall, Coupar Angus. [ Scotland ] 1981.'
£750.00

[5] + 145pp., 8vo. On the rectos only of 149 leaves, perfect bound into buff card covers, with white typed label on front, reading 'SCOTTISH SOLDIER VOL. VII | BY DOUGLAS WIMBERLEY.' In ten sections, lettered A to J, three of them signed 'D W' in red ink (pp.55, 78, 128), with index of names and appendix. Title-page in autograph, otherwise a duplicated typescript, but with autograph notes to pp.21, 46 (subsequently inserted), 61, 62, 63, 75. Sections include '"Montgomery", a personal Memoir', 'Broadcast on the B.B.C.

[Printed handbill.] Special Message from the Army Commander to all Ranks Eighth Army.

Author: 
R. L. McCreery, Lieut.-General, G.O.C., Eighth Army [General Sir Richard Loudon McCreery (1898-1967), Commander of the British Eighth Army in Northern Italy, 1944-1945]
Publication details: 
H.Q., Eighth Army, 3rd May, 1945.
£120.00

1p., foolscap 8vo. 36 lines of text. A frail survival: in fair condition, lightly creased and aged, with short closed tear repaired on reverse with archival tape. Badge design at head of text, with white shield with yellow cross against blue background, and facsimile of McCreery's signature at foot. The text begins: 'On 9th April, the Eighth Army started the last great battle in Italy. Twenty-three days later, on 2nd May, the enemy surrendered unconditionally.' The penultimate paragraph reads: 'The unconditional surrender of the enemy bring the Eighth Army many new and urgent tasks.

[Printed handbill.] Eighth Army. Personal Message from the Army Commander. To be read out to All Troops.

Author: 
B. L. Montgomery, General, G.O.C.-in-C., Eighth Army [Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery (1887-1976), 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein; British Eighth Army]
Publication details: 
12 January 1943.
£120.00

1p., 4to. A frail survival: In good condition, on aged high-acidity paper, with closed tear repaired with archival tape on reverse. A stirring message, divided into four sections, the first reading: '1. The leading units of Eighth Army are now only about 200 miles from TRIPOLI. The enemy is between us and that port, hoping to hold us off.' 'The enemy will try to stop us', Montgomery warns, but 'Nothing has stopped us since the battle of Egypt began on 23rd October, 1942. Nothing will stop us now.' Two points in capital letters: '2. THE EIGHTH ARMY IS GOING TO TRIPOLI.' and '4.

[Mimeographed typed handbill.] EIGHTH ARMY | Personal message from the Army Commander to all officers and other ranks.

Author: 
B. L. Montgomery, General, G.O.C.-in-C., Eighth Army [Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery (1887-1976), 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein; British Eighth Army]
Publication details: 
Christmas, 1942. ['256/150/5MPS/29/12/42.']
£135.00

1p., 4to. A scarce survival: good, on lightly aged and creased paper. Divided into 5 points, with the first reading: '1. The Eighth Army has turned the enemy out of the famous AGHEILA position and is now advancing into TRIPOLITANIA. It is wonderful what has been achieved since the 23rd October, when we started the Battle of Egypt. | Before the battle began I sent you a message in which I said: - | Let us pray that "the Lord mighty in battle" will give us the victory.

[Printed handbill.] Eighth Army. Personal Message from the Army Comander. To be read out to all Troops.

Author: 
B. L. Montgomery, General, Eighth Army [Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery (1887-1976), 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein; British Eighth Army]
Publication details: 
[General Head Quarters, British Eighth Army.] 'July, 1943.' ['2827/2/GHQP/6-43'.]
£120.00

1p., 4to. 25 lines of text. A frail survival. In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. Signed with facsimile of signature of 'B. L. Montgomery.' Divided into six points, the text begins: '1. The time has now come to carry the war into Italy, and into the Continent of Europe. The Italian Overseas Empire has been exterminated; we will now deal with the home country.' The last point reads: '6. To each one of you, whatever may be your rank or employment, I would say: | GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HUNTING IN THE HOME COUNTRY OF ITALY'.

Mimeographed copy of sermon to the British Eighth Army, headed 'CHRISTMAS 1942. | SERVICE BROADCAST FROM BETHLEHEM | "Of His Kingdom there shall be no end." St. Luke, I, v.33.'

Author: 
[Frederick Llewelyn Hughes (1894-1967), Archdeacon of the Forces and Dean of Ripon, 1961-1967; General Montgomery of Alamein; British Eighth Army]
Publication details: 
[British Eighth Army, Bethlehem, Palestine.] Christmas 1942.
£280.00

2pp., foolscap 8vo. On two leaves stapled together. In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. This item is discussed in M. F. Snape's 'God and the British Soldier: Religion and the British Soldier in the First and Second World Wars' (London: Routledge, 2005). Montgomery described Hughes as 'the ideal of what an Army padre should be', and according to Snape: 'A major theme which seemed to emerge from the collaboration of Montgomery and Hughes in 1942 was the notion of the consecration of British arms to a higher purpose.

Autograph Letter Signed ('H. Rayson Venables') to Viscount Montgomery of Alamein.

Author: 
Horace Rayson Venables (b. c.1898) [AUTOGRAPHS; Montgomery of Alamein]
Publication details: 
3 June 1943; 28 Chalcot Square, Regent's Park, N.W.1, on cancelled letterhead of 44 Oakfield Court, N.8.
£40.00

Four pages, 12mo. Good, on aged paper with one half-inch closed tear. Claims to be 'compiling an historic book [...] which has been left to the nation', and asks for his contribution. Provides a full-page list from the 'over 500 Autographs'. The collection 'could not be complete without' Montgomery's 'honoured name'. Asks for 'a few words (as many others have done) on the blank side so as to keep this for Gen Alexander & others who took part in your campaign'. Congratulates him on his 'brilliant Victory'.

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