FORCE

The topic of this material is wartime training (in part during the Blitz) of sergeants for ‘Search Light Control’ or SLC (nicknamed ‘Elsie’). A larger archive of similar material from the papers of Sgt. J. L. B. Royall on the same theme is offered separately. Sixteen items, a few of which are discoloured and creased, but the collection being in good overall condition. The first three items are in manuscript (i.e. Royall’s autograph).

A nice piece of WW2 RAF ephemera, written on the eve of the Battle of Britain. Scarce: the only copies on JISC at the National Library of Scotland and Bishopsgate Institute in London. 3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The ‘Text of the Letter’ is printed across the centrefold, with an introduction on the first page, reading: ‘Among the personal belongings of a young R.A.F. pilot in a Bomber Squadron who was recently reported “Missing, believed killed,” was a letter to his mother - to be sent to her if he were killed.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 2pp, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once. At the foot of the second page, in another hand (no doubt that of the recipient) are written Doyle’s details in red ink. Signed ‘D. A. Boyle’ and addressed to ‘Dear Mr. Dean’. He is returning the photograph he has sent, ‘endorsed in the way you ask’, but his wife agrees with him that ‘the photo you have got hold of is a very bad one so I am sending you another - also enclosed - which I hope you will use for your collection and destroy the other’.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. The recipient is the Harrow housemaster George Townsend Warner (1865-1916), father of the novelist Sylvia Townsend Warner, referred to as ‘Townsend Warner / Historian’ in a pencil note to this letter. Signed ‘Ian Hamilton’. 2pp, 12mo. On first leaf of bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged, with a few pin holes from attachment of a no-longer-present enclosure. Folded twice. Possibly concerning shooting practice for the Harrow army cadets.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Addressed to ‘Dear Sir Reginald’. After sympathizing with him on his indisposition he writes: ‘I always felt that you really had more advanced views on politics than most of the Generals in the British Army, and what you say in your letter does not surprise me therefore in the least.’ He ends with regards to Lady Hart and the Harts’ daughter. Autograph postscript: ‘Ps. Ps. forgive type written letter.’

Totalling 4pp., sm.fol. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. The letter (1p., 8vo) is a circular, and in it Keenan writes: 'Do not be alarmed at the sudden appearance of these instructions. Rather accept them as a fact that some one has your interests at heart'. The instructions (2pp., 8vo) are headed 'APPX 3 TO ANNEX D | CAMP HOLF SOP NO 2 | INSTRUCTIONS TO FAMILIES'. Divided into 13 sections, under the headings: Introduction; Wardens; Precautions; Children; Shopping; Special Warning Procedure; Leave; Finally.

2pp, folio. In envelope with stamp and postmark, addressed to Corden's Mill Hill address. Letter folded twice, and letter and envelope in good condition. He begins by thanking him for sending 'the inscribed copy of Ken Delve's Story of the Spitfire - a truly excellent book just jam-packed with detail, - he must have done a prodigious amount of research to put it all together'. He is 'bowled over by the extent of [Corden's] munificence'.

Both letters are signed 'Chas. Mercier'. ONE 23 July 1906. 2pp, 12mo. Bifolium with mourning border. In good condition, lightly aged, with thin strip of paper adhering to the blank second leaf. The letter, which is written in a playful tone, begins: 'My dear Bedford Pearce [sic] | Blamed if I do? I am not so ignorant of the Canonical Books as to confuse Prov: 26. 4 with 26. 5. Your offence, which cries aloud to heaven, is the omission of a comma! A quotation should follow the original verbatim et literatim [sic] et punctuatim, and a stop is an integral part of the text.

A nice piece of Second World War ephemera, of which no other copy has been traced. 1 British Corps formed part of the B.E.F., travelling to France in September 1939, and withdrawing from Dunkirk at the 'Darkest Hour' in May 1940. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Lithographed in black on the four sides of a 9.5 x 15 cm bifolium. Two parallel diagonal red lines printed at top left of front cover, which also carries the Spearhead badge of 1 British Corps at centre, above 'B.E.F.' in a scroll, with 'Christmas – 1939' at bottom left.

1p., 4to. On aged paper with wear and one short closed tear to extremities. Dean writes from a P.O. Box in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Edwards is returning Dean's 'cardboards suitably autographed', but regrets that he has 'no photographs of myself, either modern or old, to send you'.

Three strips of paper, each with a single column of text in small print: 47 + 55 + 30 cm. Complete article, paginated to 3. The second strip has the running title 'National Guard - A Visit to Flanders - 2'. Aged and creased, and with a corner torn away from the third strip, resulting in loss of text to six lines and the running title, Two minor manuscript corrections.

Printed in black and red on both sides of a 22 x 20 cm. piece of thick paper. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. One side carries the return, in a table with twenty columns, listing units, officers, warrant and non-commission officers, horses and guns. On the other side are two diagrammatic representations, the upper with names of various officers in a concentric rectangular design, listing the 'Staff Officers of Divisions and Brigades & Foreign Military Attaches, who marched into Bloemfontein 13th.

1p., folio. On wove paper with watermark of 'MONCKTON | BASTED MILL | KENT'. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. Pinholes to top corners, the item presumably having been displayed on a noticeboard. One word has been added in a contemporary hand (details given below). An historic piece of Great War ephemera, of which no other copy has been traced, with no copies at the Imperial War Museum, on OCLC WorldCat or on COPAC.

A significant collection of documents relating to the secret effort, at the end of the Second World War, to prepare officers of the British and allied armed forces for the coming occupation of Germany. Excessively scarce: the only other holdings appear to be in the British National Archives, and the Maurice M. Goodner papers (OAC), the latter relating to a later Parisian branch of the school.

Folio, 30 pp. In brown leather half-binding, with marbled boards. One simple pen illustration, p. 18, showing arrangement of 'Muraille' and 'Pont'. Good, on lightly-aged paper, in worn binding. Neatly set out, in a secretarial hand, with a synopsis beside each paragraph in red ink in the widened left-hand margins. As a loosely-inserted printed slip explains in English, the manuscript sets out 'instructions by a French Official Commission for the preparation and arming of a fleet of steam ships to be equipped to carry marines to form an expeditionary force to the coast of Africa.

None of the items in the following collection has been traced elsewhere, either at the Imperial War Museum, or on WorldCat or COPAC. The background to the collection is explained by one authority as follows : 'The School of Army Co-operation was originally established at Old Sarum in 1920, to provide training for air officers supporting troops on the ground. It became the School of Air Support in 1945 when its remit was broadened to cover assistance by air in amphibious operations. It was reformed again in May 1947, within No. 11 Group, as the School of Land/Air Warfare.

The problem with which the thesis deals is summed up at the start: 'If war broke out in the near future, attack by atomic bombers would become an immediate possibility, and one of the biggest problems would be the defence of this Island, which, with its areas of dense population, particularly around its essential industries, would present many ideal targets to the enemy. It would, therefore, be essential to destroy, or attempt to destroy, each enemy bomber before it reached the coast.

A recipient of the Military Cross, Beazley was educated at Rugby and Sandhurst.

Both items in good condition, lightly-aged. ONE: 2pp., 4to. Having returned from 'a rather long painting expedition to France' he finds that 'circumstances have arisen in regard to the administration of the Society' [ the Society of British Film Art Directors and Designers, of which Craig was a leading light], and in the light of these circumstances Irving feels compelled to resign. 'It is [...] unlikely that I shall design any more films.

Twenty-seven items in paper folder with printed (not duplicated) cover: '"If the trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battle" | General History of Ninth Corps | Field B.N.A.F. 29th May, 1943.' The collection is in fair condition, with rust staples from paper clips and other signs of age and wear. The presence of matter including the manuscript originals of maps makes it clear that the collection derives from Campbell himself. The following description divided into six items. ONE: Duplicated typescript: 'GENERAL HISTORY OF 9 CORPS'. 10pp., 8vo. Anonymous.

12pp., 4to, including title-page: 'The Little Nurses of Morogoro | A character study from "German East" | by Capt. Francis Robinson | Chaplain. | South African Horse | with the British Expeditionary Force | German East Africa'. In good condition, on aged paper, with closed tear to last leaf. A reference dates the item to after the Battle of Salaita Hill on 12 February 1916. The following captures the tone of an enthusiastic tribute: 'Wherever you go in that unattractive collection of miscellaneous buildings, you come across a little nurse, prim & smart in her uniform & cap.

9 x 14 cm black and white postcard. In frail condition, aged, worn and chipped, with near-vertical central crease repaired on reverse with archival tape. Removed from album, and with traces of newsprint adhering to the reverse. The caption scratched into the plate and appearing in small white capitals at the foot of the image. Shows Cody in near-profile, seated at the controls of a biplane which is pointing to the left of the image, with a Native American in robes and headdress seated to his right. The central part of the plane is shown, with woodland behind it.

43pp., 12mo. In grey printed wraps. In fair condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. The three papers are titled: 'The Effect of the Rise of Air Power On War (October 1943)', 'The Principles of Air Power in War (May 1945)' and 'Air Power and National Security (August 1946)'. Scarce. No copy at the British Library, and the only copy on COPAC at Cambridge University, with a further two copies on OCLC WorldCat.

Both orders and map are in good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. ORDERS: Headed 'Volunteer Tactical Field Day at Dover, | Easter Monday, 1892.' 8pp., 8vo. Stitched. The first two pages list: Headquarter Staff; Umpire Staff (Umpire-in-Chief, The General Officer Commanding South Eastern Division); Attacking Force (Commanding - Colonel J. C. Russell); Defending Force (Commanding - Colonel J. B. Sterling); Railway Staff Officers. The third and fourth pages carry tables for the Attacking and Defending Forces. Pages 5-8 give the 'District Orders' by 'H.

21pp., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The document presents a mass of information. A 'Brief History' in the form of a chronology (pp.2-4), is followed by a section setting out the conditions of 'Membership of the Victoria Police Force' (pp.5), followed by a table of 'Ranks, Insignia and Retiring Age' (p.6).

14pp., foolscap 8vo. Carbon copy of typescript, consisting of a covering page and the report itself, paginated 1-13. With a few minor manuscript emendations. In good condition, on lightly aged and worn paper. In brown paper 1937 OHMS envelope ('S.E.6.'), stamped 'SECRET' twice, with red wax seals of the '20 (A.C.) SQUADRON | R.A.F.', and typed address: '513996. Corporal Murray, J.P. | Royal Air Force Signals Detachment (No. 20 (AC) Squadron). | BANNU, N.W.F.P.' The covering page of the report is stamped 'RESTRICTED', and reads: 'SECRET. | TRIBAL RECONNAISSANCE.

2pp., 8vo. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with small ink stains to two corners and short closed tears at the ends of a central vertical crease line. On paper with 'Ellams 22' watermark. Beneath the title: 'Note: All names guaranteed genuine, from the "London" section of the October telephone directory.' The poem consists of seven four-line verses and six different choruses.

8vo: 36 pp, paginated [17] to 52. Disbound and unbound. Grubby, but with text clear and entire. Outer bifolium in poor condition. Lacking stitching, so with each bifolium loose. Mainly consisting of lists of individuals receiving awards.

On one side of piece of 41 x 20.5 cm paper, with lines and indications in light and dark blue, red and green. In fair condition, on aged paper, with creasing and one closed tear towards the head. The map has Trafalgar Square at its head (with the note that the two 'Basins' carry '40,000 Galls. each') and Parliament Square at its foot. Whitehall and Parliament Street connect the two on the right of the map, and to the left of the map is the lake in St James's Park: '200000 Galls Underground Tank | Pumping Station 1400 Galls | Pump | 15 foot Gravity Main from Serpentine'.

5pp., folio. In very good condition on lightly-aged paper. Copies of this document were sent by the War Office to the officers commanding the various corps, the Secretary of State considering that it would 'assist [them] in preparing Regulations for the government of the Corps under [their] Command'. For a full account of the subject see Hugh Cunningham's 'The Volunteer Force: A Social and Political History, 1859-1908' (1975). The cover page has in its top left-hand corner: 'V | General No. | 469', and carries a table of contents.