TANK

[The Tank in the First World War.] Autograph Letter Signed from Captain R. B. Otter-Barry of the School of Musketry, Hayling Island, to marine artist W. L. Wyllie, writing during the First World War, and giving 'informatkon on tank fighting'.

Author: 
Captain Richard Briere Otter-Barry, School of Musketry, Hayling Island, Hampshire [William Lionel Wyllie (1851-1931), distinguished English marine artist; the British Army tank in the First World War]
Publication details: 
School of Musketry, Hayling Island, Hampshire. 24 March [no year, but around 1916].
£320.00

2pp., foolscap 8vo. In fair condition, lightly aged. Addressed to 'Dear Mr. Wyllie'. Writing following a visit to the School by Wyllie (who from the context appears to have been doing war work to assist Otter-Barry), Otter-Barry begins by stating that he will be sending him a sketch, adding: 'I was sorry to see so little of you on the day you came over, but I was pretty well occupied & taxed with all these infernal staff people about.

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[ Sir Hugh Jamieson Elles, first commander of the Tank Corps, during the Battle of Amiens, 1918. ] Duplicated Typed Circular 'SPECIAL ORDER No. 15 | by | Major-Genl. H. J. ELLES, CB, DSO, Comdg.', thanking 'all ranks' during 'the present battle'.

Author: 
Major-General H. J. Elles [ Lieutenant General Sir Hugh Jamieson Elles ] (1880-1945), first commander of the Tank Corps [ First World War; Battle of Amiens, August 1918 ]
Publication details: 
'Tank Corps in the Field. [ Battle of Amiens] | 13th August, 1918'
£45.00

From the papers of Lieutenant Colonel William Otter Gibbs (1883-1960), Sixth Tank Battalion. Duplicated Typed Circular headed 'SPECIAL ORDER No. 15 | by | Major-Genl. H. J. ELLES, CB, DSO, Comdg. Tank Corps in the Field. | 13th August, 1918.' With facsimile signature of 'H. J. Elles. | Major-General, | Commanding Tank Corps in the Field.' 1p., landscape 12mo. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper.

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[Corrected Galley Proofs] Twenty Years After - The Minor Pleasures of War

Author: 
Ernest Dunlop Swinton, soldier, inventor and historian of the First World War, etc.
Ernest Dunlop Swinton, soldier, inventor and historian
Publication details: 
Stamped '19 Aug 1937 First 14' ["Twenty Years After2 published in 2 vols, 1936-1938].
£135.00
Ernest Dunlop Swinton, soldier, inventor and historian

Corrected Galleys, five pages. c.67 x 16cm, some marking, mainly good condition, corrected relatively lightly in MS. possibly by two hands, presumably including the author, and in ink and pencil, some corrections qualitative. Corrections include omissions of words (the word "very" is excised on at least three occasions), additions of letters, change to lower case, added punctuation, etc.

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Manuscript diary for the year 1944 by an English army officer ('H. E. Nash?') in the 23rd Armoured Brigade of the British Eighth Army in the Second World War.

Author: 
[Diary of an officer in the 23rd Armoured Brigade, British Eighth Army, 1946]
Publication details: 
Entries from 1 January to 27 December 1944.
£280.00

Text on 87 pp of a 8vo 1944 'Surrey Desk Diary' (Mitcham: Surrey Manufacturing Co.). Text clear and complete. Volume in good condition on aged paper. While the author's ownership signature at the front of the volume ('', ', '') is not decipherable, there are clues to his identity: his birthday is on 24 June, he states on 5 October that he is in the 23rd Armoured Brigade, and on 19 August he gives his Identity Card No. as 116941. He begins as a sergeant, and by 13 January is 'H.Q. Troop commander, which, out of action, no schemes, no censoring, doesn't amount to much'.

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Carbon copy of manuscript.

Author: 
Stunts by Fag End': contemporaneous account of first world war experiences by unidentified writer.
Publication details: 
Without date or place.
£100.00

3 pages, 8vo. On three leaves of paper, all creased, discoloured and worn, with a few tears and pin holes. Lively, humorous, and well-written account of the army career of a skiver. 'Behold me then the next time in the trenches a Lewis Gunner, my-self to be about to kill Bosches in neat little trenches of 47. As a matter of fact I did not kill one as I never fired the gun but we had one or two thrilling times. [...] January 1st. 1917 I became a member of the now famous Tank Corps.

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