RANGERS

Surman had a brief and undistinguished military career. Having trained with the Connaught Rangers, on 30 October 1895 he received a commission in the 9th Royal Rifle Corps, which he resigned a year later, on 20 October 1896. ONE: Autograph Letter Signed from 'J. Gilbert Surman' to Grubbe, in fragment of envelope addressed by him to 'Captain E. A. Grubbe | The Depôt of the Connaught Rangers | Galway'. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. He writes having 'now left the Connaught Rangers to join my own Regiment at the above place.

Printed on one side of piece of 50 x 32 cm wove paper. In good condition, lightly aged and worn, with strip of blue paper from stub adhering to blank reverse. A total of 75 entries in two tables (66 in the first and 9 in the second), both arranged in eight columns, as follows: 'Probable Date of arrival. 1883.' (the only entry in this column is 'January' beside the first march), 'No. of March', 'Stations', 'Distance | Miles', 'No. of Route', 'Rivers', 'Villages', 'Remarks'. Beneath the table: 'Abbreviations, - D. B. dak-bungalow; P. O. Post-Office, R. S. railway-station; T. S.

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').

All three are air mail letter cards. Each with 'Field Post Office' postmark and censor's stamp. The three in fair condition, lightly aged and creased. Letter One: To his father, 17 March [1944]. Addressed to 'My dear Father', with the envelope addressed to 'Sir E. de la Rue Bart. | The Sol | Cookham | Berkshire | England.' 1p, 4to, and 1p., 12mo. A light-hearted letter, in which he jokes about his father's inability to read the word 'Aviv' ('I suppose a series of "i"s and "v"s is rather difficult even if printed') and find the place on the map ('it is much larger than Bournemouth').