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Bargain in Worcester


Matt Dixon

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I picked up from a book fair for the princely sum of £1 the only WW1 book I could find called "With Lloyd George's army: The Welsh and the Battle of Mametz."

When I opened the cover it said issue number 28 of 100. It was published in 1929, I guess privately, but best off all, I found tucked into the back cover a newspaper cutting dated October 1916 with a peice about the fighting at Mametz Wood.

Sadly it doesn't say who wrote it, but reading it, there's no doubt the writer was a fan of Welsh fighting men!

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I'm very envious.

Always nice to pick up a bargain. Wonder what the true value is?

Last time I had a deal anything like that was years ago in Skipton, where a stallholder was selling second hand books, which all seemed to be priced at £1, but nothing as good as yours sounds.

Cheers,

Mike

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G'day Matt,

Hang on to this. Its value may only be realised in time.

As an aside I have just started reading a series of novels by John Dunning entitled the "Bookman".

Whilst they are works of fiction they do give an insight into the value of and the fortune of discovering rare or obscure titles. A fairly good read that makes one have a second look at what he has on his shelves.

Regards

Pop

(Sean McManus)

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Matt,

I'm intrigued by your description of the Mametz book, not come across it before. Can you tell us a bit more about it?

LST_164

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Matt,

A good find Matt. I like to think books like this have a way of finding us if your willing to wait and keep looking.

Scott.

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Matt, I green with envy right now :lol: I think i need to start checking book fair more often.

Gaz

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Can you tell us a bit more about it?

LST_164

What do you want to know?

It's a small hardback book with less than 100 pages, about 7" x 5" with a brown dustjacket bearing the outline of a tree. In the top right it has a silhouette of a Tommy's helmet and underneath it says in black lettering "With Lloyd George's Army: the Welsh and the Battle of Mametz"

Inside the cover it has a coat of arms with a lion rampant and what may be a bear with the words Semper Fidelis underneath. At the bottom of the page is the word Crosswell 1929 and underneath this is written Copy Number 28 of 100. The 28 and the 100 are in bold type.

The rear dust jacket is blank, and the spine simply says The Welsh at Mametz. It is the story of the Welsh division fighting at Mametz Wood, and by the style it is written I rather suspect the author was there himself. Other than the word Crosswell there is no clue as to the name of the author.

Not sure what else I can tell you!

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Matt,

that's OK - I was wondering whether it was a personal account, a history, or whatever. Its size is also useful to know.

I have had a go at searching for it on the National Library of Wales catalogue, and the British Library Integrated Catalogue - no trace. Not currently on the BookFinder secondhand site either. A real rarity, therefore!

LST_164

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Does it mention any officers by name? We might be able to recognise a battalion.

You're a lucky man! Never heard of it.

Bernard

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've not come across a reference to this; despite priding myself that I have quite a lot on Mametz. It's obviously a private limited edition printing; and as there was no list of subscribers listed by Matt, then it was paid for by the author. That makes him to be a wealthy man; and probably an officer. "The Welsh" in the title may be a generic reference to Welsh soldiers, but probably a reference to the Welsh Regiment. Sounds intruiging. Matt; any chance of you scanning a page or two on to this thread? Especially a page giving names of fellow officers, depot, or specific localities in France?

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  • 1 month later...
I've not come across a reference to this; despite priding myself that I have quite a lot on Mametz. It's obviously a private limited edition printing; and as there was no list of subscribers listed by Matt, then it was paid for by the author. That makes him to be a wealthy man; and probably an officer. "The Welsh" in the title may be a generic reference to Welsh soldiers, but probably a reference to the Welsh Regiment. Sounds intruiging. Matt; any chance of you scanning a page or two on to this thread? Especially a page giving names of fellow officers, depot, or specific localities in France?

geraint, can you give me say two of the best books you have read about the Welsh at Mametz.

Thanks.

BTW I've read one book on Mametz a few years ago, I don't think it was the Michael Steadman book. I got it from a library in S Wales and now can't see it in their catalogue.

It may have been by a Welsh author.

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  • 4 months later...

The outstanding and authorative book on Mametz Wood is Colin Hughes' Mametz - [Lloyd George's Welsh Army at the Battle of the Somme[/u], Gliddon Books 1990. This is an authoratative analysis on the battle.

Up To Mametz by Wyn Griffiths (mine's an internet download), is a brilliant memoire.

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