[10th Battalion]. [LIMB, Lieutenant Arthur]

History of the 10th Battalion AIF [1914-1918. Egypt, Gallipoli, France, Belgium (cover sub-title)]

London, Cassell, 1919.

Octavo, 101 pages with 44 illustrations (after photographs) plus 4 maps (3 folding).

Original flush-cut pictorial papered boards printed in black, gilt and the battalion's colours (purple and blue); spine expertly renewed; covers lightly marked, with minor tape stains near the front hinge and first page (blank); top corners a little bumped and lightly worn; trifling signs of use and age; a very good copy.

The first edition of this anonymously published book is fiendishly rare in our experience. This is only the fifth copy we have had in almost forty-three years as booksellers in Adelaide, and the 10th is a local battalion. Arthur Limb (1893-1920) was a member of the battalion; he rose through the ranks, and was mentioned in dispatches three times. Although he survived the war, he contracted pneumonia on the return journey to Australia, leading eventually to his death in May 1920. His obituary in his hometown newspaper, the 'Gawler Bunyip' (Friday 28 May 1920), records that 'At the close of the war he was chosen by the Officer in Command to gather material from military sources, and proceed to Oxford to write up the history of the 10th Battalion. The book has been published'.

The dedication page of this copy is inscribed 'To Colonel M.F. Beevor V.D. with compliments from S. Price Weir 3/7/25'. Lieutenant-Colonel Stanley Price Weir was the first Commanding Officer of the 10th Battalion; [Lieutenant]-Colonel Beevor was his successor. Miles Fitzroy Beevor (1883-1961) embarked with the 10th Battalion, with the rank of major, on 20 October 1914. He was among the first ashore at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 (and in 1935, he published a very rare personal account of those first twenty-four hours, which ended for him when he was badly wounded in the foot). His career thereafter was impressive: on 19 November 1915, he was appointed temporary lieutenant-colonel and Acting Commanding Officer of the 10th Battalion; on 1 February 1916, he was appointed lieutenant-colonel and Commanding Officer of the 10th Battalion, succeeding Price Weir; on 3 March 1916, he was appointed Commanding Officer of the 52nd Battalion. This copy has yet more going for it: the title page carries the later ownership details of '6081 10th Battalion Pte. J.R. Marks M.M.'. John Reginald Marks was barely 19 years old when he was awarded the Military Medal for rendering 'valuable service by carrying important messages under most trying and dangerous circumstances as a Company Runner.... Enemy barrages and machine gun and rifle fire were treated by him with contempt'. A duplicate typescript of the recommendation for the medal is loosely inserted.

Another insert is the typescript of a lengthy poem, 'The Brains', describing the ten members of a close-knit group of 10th Battalion men, including Marks. 'We have a M.M. in our mob, known to all as Miss Witty, / She does her hair so nice and really does look pretty. / She is fond of the boys though and flirts with one Bob Penny, / And I'm much inclined to believe he's only one of the many. // And there's Jack Marks the Batman, I must not leave him out, / Although he grinds his teeth and slings his weight about. / He, like Miss Witty, a decoration too has won, / And his mother can well be proud of her one and only son.' The souvenir programme (in the shape of a slouch hat) for the 10th Battalion's celebrations of the '50th Anniversary of Anzac Landing', and two vintage pieces of ephemera complete this unique offering.

Dornbusch 325; Fielding and O'Neill, page 226 (incorrectly calling the author 'Lumb'); Trigellis-Smith 212.