ARMOURED

[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.

[ Tunisia Campaign, British North Africa Force, 1943. ] Duplicated 'SECRET' document by Major-General Charles Keightley, titled 'Main Lessons from the recent Campaign in North Africa as applicable to an Armd Div.'

Author: 
General Sir Charles Frederic Keightley (1901-1974), 6th Armoured Divison, British North Africa Force [ BNAF ] [ British Army, Tunisia Campaign, North African Campaign, 1943 ]
Publication details: 
'In the Field | 7 Jun 43.' and 'HQ 6 Armd Div, | B.N.A.F. | 7 Jun 43.' [ British North Africa Force, 7 June 1943. ]
£320.00

7pp., 8vo. On four leaves stapled together. In good condition, lightly-aged and with rusting staple. Stamped 'SECRET' at head of first page. Facsimile of Keightley's signature at end ('Maj Gen | Comd | 6 Armd Div.').

[ British North Africa Force, Tunisia Campaign, 1943. ] 24 original BNAF documents (many secret), sent from the field during the Battle of Tunisia by 6th Armoured Divison and 9th Corps, including operation orders, march tables, Eisenhower message.

Author: 
[ 6th Armoured Divison and 9th Corps, British North Africa Force, British Army, Tunisia Campaign, North African Campaign, 1943 ]
Publication details: 
[ British North Africa Force, 6 Armoured Division and 9 Corps. ] Tunisia, North African Campaign, 1943.
£850.00

The collection was acquired by military historian Barrie Pitt, while writing his 'Crucible of War' series on the Desert War, from Captain Vincent Duncan Jones, 6th Armoured Division, BNAF. It is in good overall condition, with rusted staples and other minor age and wear. All items duplicated typescripts unless otherwise indicated.

[ 6 Armoured Divison and 9 Corps of the British Army, Tunisian Campaign, North Africa, 1943. ] Two duplicated documents, the first marked 'SECRET' and titled '6 Armd Div. | Log of R/T Messages on Rear Link and Sitreps to 9 Corps 9-12 Apr 43.'

Author: 
[ 6 Armoured Divison and 9 Corps of the British Army, Tunisian Campaign, North Africa, 1943 ]
Publication details: 
Without place or date, but relating to the 6 Armoured Divison and 9 Corps of the British Army, North Africa, 9-12 and 22-27 April 1943.
£450.00

22pp., 8vo. Each page on a separate leaf. The first document is 9pp. long and the second of 13pp. Both documents with the leaves pinned together. In fair condition, on aged and worn paper, with strip of paper at the head of the first page of the second document torn away, with all of title except for words '<...> and Sitreps t<...>'. Loosely inserted in buff card folder. The bread and butter of military history: a straight transcription of the messages. The first entry in the first document is typical: '9 Apr 43. | 0730 hrs : To 9 Corps | 0.361 Sitrep 0700 hrs. 26 Armd Bde.

[ 6 Armoured Division, BNAF, Tunisia Campaign, 1943. ] Two duplicated 'SECRET' intelligence documents, the first 'Plan for obtaining the maximum and detailed information about the enemy', and the second 'Intelligence at an Armd Div H.Q.'

Author: 
[ 6 Armoured Division, British North Africa Force [ BNAF ], intelligence documents, 1943; Tunisia Campaign; Battle for Tunis, North African Campaign, 1943 ]
Publication details: 
[ British North Africa Force. ] The first: 'GSO.3(I) | 6 Armd Div. | IN THE FIELD | 25 Mar 43.' The second without place or date.
£400.00

Both items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. ONE: 'Plan for obtaining the Maximum and Detailed Information about the Enemy.' Headed 'MOST SECRET'. 2pp., 8vo. On two leaves stapled together. With illegible facsimile signature of author at end: ' Capt', followed by typed 'GSO.3(I) | 6 Armd Div. | IN THE FIELD | 25 Mar 43.' Copy numbered '9' in manuscript. Divided into three sections: 'Appreciation of Type of Operation likely to be carried out by an Armd Div.', 'Method' and 'Security'.

[ The Battle of Tunisia, 1942-1943. ] Autograph War Diary of Captain V. Duncan Jones, 6th Armoured Division, British Army, covering the entire period of the Tunisia Campaign. With two Autograph Letters Signed to military historian Barrie Pitt.

Author: 
Captain Vincent Duncan Jones, 6th Armoured Division, British Army [ Tunisia Campaign [ Battle of Tunisia; Run for Tunis ] 1942-1943, in the Second World War North Africa Campaign ] [ Barrie Pitt ]
Publication details: 
War Diary ('Army Form C.2118.') from 14 November 1942 to 31 May 1943. The two letters 22 April and 7 July 1976. The first letter on Jones's letterhead, and from 89 Defoe House, Barbican, EC2 [ London]. The second letter with no place stated.
£4,000.00

The present diary is of some significance, presenting a first-hand account by a British officer of the Anglo-American 'Run for Tunis' that followed Operation Torch - the invasion of French North Africa in November 1942. It marks Eisenhower's first campaign following his appointment as Commanding General, European Theater of Operations. Four years before the writing of the two letters present here Jones and Pitt had collaborated in the publication of Jones's book 'Operation Torch' (1972), which Pitt (1918-2006) edited for a series first published by the American firm Bannatine.

'Secret' document, titled 'Brief Tactical Notes | 6th Armoured Division | To be carried by Officers on all training in the field.'

Author: 
C. F. Keightley, Major General Commanding, 6th Armoured Division [ General Sir Charles Frederic Keightley (1901-1974) ]
Publication details: 
Place not stated [ North Africa ]. 20 September 1943.
£280.00

[1] + 14pp., 16mo. Unbound stapled pamphlet. A frail survival (no copy found on either OCLC WorldCat or COPAC). Aged and worn, with rusting staples. Stencil of the Division's insignia on cover. Divided into seven sections: 'Tactical Notes', 'Appreciations', 'Orders', 'Approach and Contact', 'Attack', 'Defence' and 'Breaking Contact'. In his 'Foreword' Keightley urges the reader, somewhat confusingly, to 'make absolutely certain that there is nothing left to help him ['your men'] fight efficiently and gallantly which it is in your power to do'. From the papers of military historian Barrie Pitt.

[The Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps (RNZAC).] 'Restricted' information document, duplicated typescript with illustrations.

Author: 
[The Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps (RNZAC)]
Publication details: 
Communications Wing, School of Armour, Army Training Group, Waiouru [New Zealand]. 2 November 1975.
£100.00

6pp., 8vo. On three leaves stapled together, with punch holes for ring binder. In good condition, on lightly-aged paper. With 'RESTRICTED' at head and foot of each page. Corps badge at head of first page and six illustrations in text. Divided into 24 sections, with headings: Formation; Early History; The First World War; The Second World War; Post War; Alliances; The Badge; Corps Colours; Dress Distinctions; Corps Day; Official Music; Patron Saint; Corps Motto. Written in a no-nonsense style. For example, the final two sections read: 'Patron Saint | 23.

1910 manuscript diary of the purser of, first, HMS Cornwall (with much golf played) and, second, SS Balmoral Castle, describing the Duke of Connaught's voyage to the Union of South Africa, to open its first Parliament on behalf of King George V.

Author: 
[Purser's diary, Royal Navy Armoured Cruiser HMS Cornwall and SS Balmoral Castle; Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn; opening of first Parliament of the Union of South Africa, 1910; golf]
Publication details: 
19 January to 28 December 1910.
£850.00

99pp., in 'Army & Navy Octavo Scribbling Diary (with a week on an opening) for 1910'. Good, on aged paper, in worn boards, with some preliminary leaves torn out, and a few childish scrawls by Irene and Pauline Knott (grandchildren of the author?) at beginning and end (not affecting text) . The author is intelligent and well-educated, pious and with a keen interest in sport, but there are few clues regarding his identity: his family is from Staines, and he trained at the Royal Naval College, Osborne. The itineraries of the two ships mentioned in this diary are as follows.

Manuscript diary of the purser of the Royal Navy Armoured Cruiser HMS Cornwall, describing Mediterranean and Baltic tours of duty (while Captain W. R. Hall was spying for Britain)

Author: 
[Purser's diary, Royal Navy Armoured Cruiser HMS Cornwall, under Captain (later Admiral Sir) William Reginald Blinker Hall (1870-1943), future Director of Naval Intelligence; golf]
Publication details: 
1 January to 17 December 1909
£380.00

Manuscript diary of the purser of the Royal Navy Armoured Cruiser HMS Cornwall, describing Mediterranean and Baltic tours of duty (while Captain W. R. Hall was spying for Britain), with descriptions of golf and other sports and recreations. 'Letts's No. 46 Indian and Colonial Rough Diary Giving Half a Page a Day. 1909'. 12mo, 161pp. Good, on aged paper, in worn boards. Diary proper consists of 210pp., with entries on three-quarters (159pp.) of them (few entries for periods of leave), preceded by two pages with lists of family birthdays and of books read.

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'.

Typed Letter Signed ('Oliver Locker Lampson') to Dr E. E. Lewis.

Author: 
Oliver Stillingfleet Locker-Lampson (1880-1954), British Conservative Member of Parliament for North Huntingdonshire, Commander of an Armoured Car Unit in the First World War
Publication details: 
23 July 1913; on embossed House of Commons letterhead.
£100.00

One page, folio. Very good on lightly creased paper. Headed 'FIGHTING FUND' and listing the members of the 'PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE' (including Lampson as Honorary Secretary, and the Duke of Westminster and Earl of Malmesbury). Communication of twenty-seven lines, with decided proto-fascistic overtones.

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