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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

2nd Royal Lancers


Steven Broomfield

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Anybody help? I have the opportunity to presuade Mrs B to buy me a copy of the 2 volume history of the 2nd Royal Lancers (Gardiner's Horse), Indian Army, from formation (approx. 1808) to partition.

It's in great nick (Vol 2 still has the dust wrapper); and as the two regiments (the 2nd and the 4th) which formed the regiment in 1922 had Western Front service (I believe the 2nd won a VC), and then in the Middle East, it has great relevance.

The quoted price in a local dealer is £95, which looks good.

Does anyone know of these books? Is the price good?

I need to answer by Wednesday, as I managed to get them to hold for me (I've bought quite a few there before).

Thnaks in advance.

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Obviously no-one has these books, so as from 3rd August, it looks like I'll be the only Forum member to be able to offer look-ups :rolleyes:

Mrs B - she say YES!

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Not looking too hard, were we, Broomers old chap (or should that be 'sahib'?).

Courtesy of Bookfinder.com:

Alibris [united States] London Sifton Praed & Co., Ltd. 1924 First edition in hardcover with decorated boards and spine. 228 pp. Foldout maps. Boards are lightly sprung with some light edgewear, small gift inscription from 1925 on front pastedown, endpapers and edges have some light foxing. Very Good. Scarce in the first edition. Photographs on request. (Military History British Regimental History Military England) $225

Ken Jackson via AbeBooks

[Canada] Publisher: Sifton Praed & Co., Ltd., London, 1924

First edition in hardcover with decorated boards and spine. 228 pp. Foldout maps. Boards are lightly sprung with some light edgewear, small gift inscription from 1925 on front pastedown, endpapers and edges have some light foxing. Very Good. Scarce in the first edition. Photographs on request. $228.90

So £95 is below the curve on current ROEs. More so if in very good nick.

Guess what? Naval and Military have published a paperback, about £25 a volume.

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Cheers, Phil - I find trawling web sites confuses me. I am, after all, a Broomers of limited brain. :blush:

I suppose I could go for the reprint, but - to be honest - I prefer the 'real' thing. Something for my family to squabble over when I'm gone. I can see the conversation now "Oh do I have to have dad's mouldy old books. I wanted the bank account...."

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Probably more in the books than in the bank account (a causal relationship in my case).

Reminds me of that awful film title of a Kirk Douglas movie: "Daddy's Dying - Who's Got The Will?" As my other half says "Where there's a will, there's a relative" (then again, she IS a probate solicitor...).

Meanwhile, back at the plot... Not that I'm suggesting you buy them purely as an appreciating asset (oh oh, sounds like Antiques Roadshow... "It's worth twenty gazillion pounds, but you'll never sell it, because you enjoy it, yes?" [sound of feet in direction of auction house]) ... but if they're in good nick it certainly won't hurt at that price.

See, by our erudtion, care and good taste :rolleyes: we lay down the basis of being worth more after snuffing it for the descendants. Like the bloke in the Smirnoff advert who gets turned into a diamond...

Ah heck, get in there, my son! :D:lol:

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I'll be visiting the shop on Saturday. :rolleyes:

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Missed this one - but I have been busy. I've got Tony Perkins's bibliography of regimental histories at home (I contributed more than a few write-ups), and will check to see how it was rated.

Michael

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Thanks. Too late to change the decision, but nice to know.

Unless it's bad of course, in which case... :(:(:(

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Broomers.

If you get both volumes of the Gardiners Horse history for £95 - I think you mean the Whitworth & Vaughan volumes - someone will give you profit! It's a steal in my eyes. I do have both volumes and they cost me more than that. They are both very good reads.

Cheers,

Matthew

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:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
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"The bulk of the narrative then deals with WWI services in good informative detail." Rarity 4 Research Value 4 (both out of 5)

Vol .2 "A sound readable book and the Western Desert maps are very helpful, but lack of an Index and poor quality of paper tend to diminish its overall worth." Rarity 3, Research Value 3.

And sorry, it's Roger Perkins, not Tony.

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Cheers. I didn't realise, on a relatively brief scan in the shop, that it's two 'separate' volumes, rather than a two-volume book (if you see what I mean).

Thanks all for your help. Can't wait for my birthday.

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  • 1 month later...

Birthday arrived, book unwrapped. Golly - it's even better than I'd thought; an appendix includes a description and assessment of the silladar system which is absolutely fascinating.

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