[ British Army field exercises of First World War German invasion. ] 'Field Message Book' of Captain E. A. Grubbe, used in training reservists at Newhaven Fort, with maps. With ALS from Grubbe to his brother, telling of captured 'Prussian guards'.

FIELD MESSAGE BOOK: Landscape 8vo notebook with 43pp of manuscript, in a number of different hands (one of them apparently Grubbe's), including seven full-page maps, with two further pages of carbon copies, preceded by 3pp. of printed text titled 'Field Message Book / (For the use of Dismounted Regimental Officers and Non-commissioned Officers of Cavalry and Mounted Infantry.)' In pencil and ink on graph paper pages. In detachable brown cloth cover, with explanatory label ('Cover for Army Book 153'). The cover has a piece of pink flannel at the rear 'intended to hold a supply of pins', as well as carbon paper, and bears the stamp of the 8th (Reserve) Battalion, City of London Rifles. Cover and contents in fair condition, aged and slightly wormed, with the cover lacking its black ribbon ties. As the seven maps indicate, the exercises described took place in the Wivelsfield and Ditchling area of East Sussex, not far from Hayward Fort. Three of the maps are captioned: 'No I Outpost Coy.', 'No II Outpost Coy.'; 'No VI outpost Coy. / 11/12/14 [i.e. 11 December 1914]. The volume consists of a number of scenarios, of which the following are representative. A two-page section, divided into 11 points, is headed 'Operation orders No 1 Cy / Captain Brodrick / Reference ½ in ordnance 3g'. It begins: 'I The enemy are advancing in strength probably two divisions from the direction of WIVELSFIELD / II It is my intention to retire & to take up a position at STROODS / III The company will move by road from Burgess Hill to OAKLANDS PARK & thence in southerly direction to STROODS'. One page, headed 'Headquarters / Cowfield / General idea / Reference ½ ordnance Map 39', begins: 'Two small forces advanced from Partridge GREEN & Cowfold on Burgess Hill on Feb 8 & bivouacked. 2 pm Feb 9th. Information reached them that the enemy were advancing in force (2 divisions)WIVELSFIELD Green'. A three-page section is headed 'Operation order No 2 by Lt: Col Powell / Commanding adv Gd: to 2nd. Lon Inf Brigade / BULL INN / DITCHLING / 5.45 am 2/3/15 [i.e. 2 March 1915] / Ref ½ OS 39'. It begins: '(1) The enemy is now holding the line STROODS CLAYTON PRIORY NORTH AMERICA entrenching at GREENLANDS to NORTH AMERICA / (2) I intend to seize the bridges at K & R in KEYMER over the KEYMER river, N in COMMON & at the four cross roads on DITCHLING COMMON'. One two-page section, headed 'No III Coy. Of Defence' is divided into eight points, the first two reading: 'I The enemy is reported to have landed at Brighton. / II 2nd. Infantry Brigade will hold the line (STROODS 2 miles W of B in BURGESS HILL) to OCKLEY MANOR.' An entry dated 26 January 1915 reads: 'Enemy reported advancing, 20 strong in Northerly direction from KEYMER along road to Burgess'. A two-page section is headed 'Operation order (No 1) by OC Commanding advg. Gd: to 2nd Lon Inf Brig / Ref ½ O.S. No 39 / Pycombe / 5.30 pm. Mar 1/15'. It begins: 'I (a) The enemy hold a position on the line BOLNEY HAYWARDS HEATH LINDFIELD and our advanced cavalry also report strong parties in the neighbourhood of BURGESS Hill and NORTH AMERICA.' This is followed by a page by 'Col T o/c 3/6 CLR', headed 'Operation order No 1 by OC 3/6 CLR. / CLAYTON / 5 p.m Mar 1/15 [i.e. 1 March 1915] / Ref ½ OS sheet 39'. It begins: '(1) Our advanced cavalry report enemy in neighbourhood of BURGESS HILL & NORTH AMERICA. / (2) I intend to take up an outpost position covering DITCHLING tonight / "A" Coy. From 1st. P in PLUMPTON to S in STREAT inclusive of road 2nd class to NORTH AMERICA […]'. 'General idea / BOYTON', dated 30 June 1915, begins: 'A force consisting of one Divisoin two batteries of heavy artillery & one squadron of cavalry have landed at HOLLESBY BAY up R. ORE & bivouacked at BOYTON for night 30/6/15 1/7/15'. At the end of the volume is a list of men from '"C" Coy.', and a one-page list of 'Billets at Boyton', beginning with 'Boyton Hall Mr Hibbard / Boyton Rectory Revd J Davis'. The volume also includes a two-page draft letter from 'M. G', regarding the walking of dogs on his country property. Loosely inserted at the rear are three items marked up with corrections in red pencil: first, two-page 'Report of No 1 Reconnoitering Column / (A & D C) / 12.30. 12/12/14 [i.e. 12 December 1914]', by 'P. Brodrick / OC D Coy.'; second, a map of the Keymer and Ditchling area; third, a one-page report by 'B. Burt-Smith 3d Lieut.' LETTER: 4pp., 8vo. In envelope with stamp and postmarks, addressed to 'Eustace E. Grubbe Esq / Southwold / Suffolk'. In good condition, lightly aged. He begins with reassurance: 'I don't think the Germans will make a raid on Southwold, if they make one at all, and I doubt if they have the men to do it, I believe it will be further north'. He expresses frustration at British inability to 'get at' the German fleet, hoping that Sweden, Norway and Denmark 'may be brought into the quarrel on our side, & then I should like to see the Russians tempt the German Fleet into the Baltic, we would block this end of the Kiel Canal & with a strong squadron fall on the German rear through Danish waters - nous verrons'. He discusses Russian 'successes' in 'their big battles in Poland', and praises the Germans for 'fighting desperately and well', while casting doubt on 'the enormous number of Reserves they say they have'. The letter concludes with information regarding German prisoners of war: 'an officer and 65 men of the Prussian guards - he told me the English got them in a wood & that was all that remained of his regiment'.