BRETT-JAMES

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly-aged. Folded once for postage. Addressed to ‘Dear Mr Brett-James’ and signed ‘Cyril Falls’. He is ‘delighted to hear from Brigadier Peter Young’ that Brett-James will, ‘he feels sure, take on Waterloo in the Great Battles Series I am editing’. He explains that the book’s chapters ‘are brief’, and is enclosing an explanatory sheet. Ends: ‘Please, however, let me have your reply at the earliest possible moment.’ The volume ‘Great Military Battles’, edited by Falls, appeared in 1964.

A feature of Brett-James's well-received war memoir 'Report My Signals' (1948) was the fifteen reproductions of his pencil drawings of Indian men who served under him, the originals of which are present here, together with a further fifty. These indicate Brett-James's skill at conveying character in well-executed pencil sketches. The sixty-five black-and-white pencil drawings in this collection are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper with occasional creasing. They consist of: ONE. The original fifteen portrait heads of men of the Fifth Indian Division reproduced as illustrations in RMS.

A feature of Brett-James's well-received war memoir 'Report My Signals' (1948) was the fifteen reproductions of his pencil drawings of Indian men who served under him, the originals of which are present here, together with a further fifty. These indicate Brett-James's skill at conveying character in well-executed pencil sketches. The sixty-five black-and-white pencil drawings in this collection are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper with occasional creasing. They consist of: ONE. The original fifteen portrait heads of men of the Fifth Indian Division reproduced as illustrations in RMS.

'Report My Signals' (hereafter RMS) was well received on its publication in 1948, a second impression appearing in the same year. The book's dustwrapper blurb describes the contents as 'the war memoirs of a Signals officer who served for three years with the Fifth Indian Division. He was with this illustrious formation from August 1942 (near El Alamein) until the recapture of Rangoon. | The author writes frankly and sincerely of his experiences with Indian soldiers, for whom he expresses affection and admiration.

A feature of Brett-James's well-received war memoir 'Report My Signals' (1948) was the fifteen reproductions of his pencil drawings of Indian men who served under him. None of the portraits present here feature in that book or have been reproduced elsewhere, but those published in the book give an excellent idea of Brett-James's skill at conveying character in well-executed pencil sketches. The nineteen drawings in this collection are all in good condition, on aged paper, with occasional light creasing. Eleven are in 8vo, and eight in 12mo.

3pp., 4to. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. Addressed by Brett-James in pencil at the head of the first page to 'Lt Gen Sir Brian Horrocks' and with one manuscript correction. The letter begins: 'I do want to say how interesting and worthwhile I found the broadcast discussion last Sunday evening about the factors which make a good division. All that was said was true and most stimulating, but there are a few points which I should like to add.

An interesting collection of Cambridge ephemera, dating from a period of considerable economic and social turbulence. The twenty-two items are in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. They include six term accounts, with Brett-James's details typewritten on printed forms, signed by tutors D. Thomson and B. T. D. Smith. These accounts are itemised, with details of domestic charges. Affixed to all but one of these accounts are official College receipts signed by tutors. Also present is an Autograph Note to Brett-James from the College clerk R. S.

1p., 4to. 12 lines, in close, neat hand. Good, on aged paper. He received Brett-James's paper that day, and 'read it through all except some of the statistics'. He discusses the 'exceptional' nature of Middlesex, college maps and the difference between the estates held in Hendon and Edgware by Alls Souls College, and 'some of our Midland estates'. In the second paragraph he comments on 'letting values in Tudor times', 'the effect of the depreciation of coinage' and 'the awful meddling with currency between 1543 and 1548'.

1p., 12mo. Good, on lightl-aged paper. A short letter, in which he thanks Brett-James for writing to him 'about the Macmillan speech': 'I really feel badly at having put you obviously to so much trouble'. He suggests that Brett-James sends him 'the tape' and lets him 'have it transcribed here, by my secretary'.

1p., 4to. He is honoured to be asked to talk to the Napier Society (a military history society at Sandhurst), but is 'right in the middle of the Cambridge term', as a Fellow of Churchill College, and so must 'propose a subject which I have already talked about.' He suggests two topics: 'Trade Defence in World War II' and 'Some Reasons for Official History', in the last of which he tries 'to answer criticisms of that form of history and describe the sources I had used and the way I had worked when writing The War at Sea 1939-45'.

1p., 4to. 30 typed lines, with the last two lines in autograph. In good condition, on lightly-aged and creased paper. Brett-James is addressed as 'Head of Department, War Studies & International Affairs, Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst'.

54pp., 12mo. Neatly written out on pages of a book of leaves of paper for correspondence, comprising numbered letterheads with blank underleaves for carbon copies. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with the cover and first few leaves of the volume missing. Terse, pithy entries, noting down facts concerning work, meetings, lunches, family matters, school activities, holidays. During the course of the diary Brett-James switches work from the publishers Harrap to their rivals Chatto & Windus, and the entries reflect his activities in both the military and cultural world.

All texts clear and complete. Autograph item with some creasing, otherwise in good condition on lightly-aged paper. Ten items signed 'Compton Mackenzie', and two ''. Eight of the items each one page of landscape 8vo; one 8vo, 1 p; another 12mo, 1 p; the autograph note 4to, 1 p; and the card 16mo, 1 p. The first item (4to, 1 p, in autograph) is dated 22 September 1948. Having met Brett-James he thanks him for sending the proofs of his war memoir 'Report My Signals' (London: Hennel Locke Ltd, 1948): 'I was much impressed by it, and supported it strongly for a Book Society Recommendation.

Apart from the card (12mo, 1 p), totalling 4to, 10 pp; 12mo, 2 pp. All items in good condition, with text clear and complete, on lightly-aged paper. All post-1960. Two of the eleven (20 January and 13 June 1974) are fully dated by Devas; another four have day and month. The card from 1960 is the earliest item; the three from Wetherby Gardens date from between this point and Devas's second marriage to Rupert Shephard in 1965, and the seven from Limerston Street from after the marriage. A good-natured correspondence, written in a chatty style.