TANK

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.

1p., 16mo. In good condition, lightly aged. With the Society's date stamp and a query in red pencil. He apologises for the delay in replying to an invitation 'to give a short course of lectures': 'I should very much like to do this at some later date but I am afraid that I have already committed myself so deeply for this next winter and spring that it will not be possible for me to do so.' He is 'very flattered indeed' by the inviation and regrets having to decline it.

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.

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.

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'.

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.