Combat In and Over Delville Wood (Signed copy)

A rare Great War memoir, first issue and signed by the author, Arthur H Betteridge

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

First edition. Hardback, bound in green faux leather with gilt titling to spine and upper board. Text printed recto only throughout. 26.5 × 20.5cm, 229pp.

This copy has been signed and dedicated by the author to the ffep, "To Dear Robbie, with affection from Arthur, 1975". A pencilled note on the acknowledgement page (which also mentions Robbie) states "Robbie refers to Lt. Col. R T Robertson sometime C/O of the Kaffrarian Rifles & Lt. in the S African 1st Brigade in 1914–18".

A fascinating autobiographical account of the Western Front in the Great War. Arthur Henry Betteridge was born in 1896 and elisted in the South African infantry. He fought on the ground in the Battle of the Somme and was wounded at Delville Wood. After recovery, he retrained and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps / Royal Air Force and joined No 3 Squadron flying Sopworth Camels again over the Somme. He served under Ronald McClintock (who, along with plenty of other pilots such as N S Smuts and Curtis Kinney are mentioned in the book). The book is illustrated with a few reproduced photographs and maps. Arthur Betteridge died in 1983.

This book was reissued in 1986 in three volumes but this is the single volume first printing which had a very small print run and remains the scarcest edition.

Condition

This copy is in very good condition There is some very minor bumping to the corners, and a slight forward lean to the spine. One small mark to the pages' top edge but otherwise this book is in very good order. Please contact me if you would like further photographs.

More images are available upon request.

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