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MASON, F. A: : THE LAST DESTROYER: HMS ALDENHAM,1942-44

LONDON.ROBERT HALE LIMITED,1988.

ISBN 0709032803.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. NFINE/FINE-. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj - absence of publisher's price.These are generally believed to be export edns,issued and distributed before the trade issue in the country of origin.Bright, crisp,clean,glossy,wrap-around red background with red+black photographic depiction of HMS ALDENHAM leaving the builder's yard,1941/42 and a thumbnail b/w photograph of some of the ship's crew superimposed to front lower corner of front panel, illustrated dw/dj,with capitalised,white-lettered full title+ author name,other white-lettered credit for Foreword to front; spine/ backstrip with partial sunning/fading and similarly coloured+lettered part-title and author's name as front and publisher's capitalised,white-lettered name to foot of same,rear panel with continuation of the front's photograph.Negligible shelf-wear,bumping, creasing to edges and corners – no nicks,tears or splits present.Inevitable,age-acquired faint,minimal,superficial scoring/indents but without any penetration to board beneath.Top edges with faint,minimal dust-flecks,fore-edges clean with minimal blemish; contents bright, tight,clean,solid and sound - near pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips,appears unread,other than my own collation. Some top edges of photographs in 2nd block of same,appear to have been stuck together but are now free and loose with some miniscule residual evidence of opening.Publisher's bright,crisp, clean,sharp-cornered,original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt lettered spine/backstrip,and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,8-206pp [paginated] includes verso of Illustrations list/table,unpaginated recto of Abbreviations list/table,a Foreword by Alex Stuart-Menteth DSC Commanding Officer of HMS ALDENHAM,March 1942-September 1943,8 chapters,a lest We Forget page, Battle Honours,16pp contemporary b/w photographs in 2 blocks of 8pp apiece,between pp56/7 and pp136/37 respectively,an Index; plus [unpaginated] half-title with ship's b/w badge illustration to its reverse,title page,a Contents list/table with dedication to reverse, recto of illustrations list/table, Acknowledgements with reverse of same being first page of double-paged general Mediterranean b/w map with blank verso to the second page of map,and to the rear,as last pages,2pp blanks.    Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional,and particularly internally,the book is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation for a book of its 3-odd yea age.It is only the minimal faults described that prevents a slightly higher overall grading. Despite them,it really is an exceptional,exemplary copy for its cleanliness, brightness and minimal faults.The only first-hand account and therefore unique,of this action and ship's service.                              A compelling history of naval warfare told through contemporary fiirst-hand accounts.Eye-witness 'Bert' Mason who served on HMS Aldenham reveals the story of the last British destroyer to be lost in WW2.                           From her first commissioning to the bitter end 200,000 miles later,Aldenham,a Hunt Class destroyer,played an essential and important part in the Mediterranean war. During her maiden voyage,she assisted in destroying U.587 in the Atlantic off the coast of Spain.Later she took part in the ill-fated 'Operation Vigorous',and in 'Operation Stonehenge' when a force of cruisers and destroyers escorted four huge merchantmen from Suez through 'Bomb Alley' to Malta.'Lucky' Aldenham (as she was known) took part in at least fourteen east-west Malta convoys.She guarded the invasion beaches at Sicily,saw action in the battles of Salerno and Anzio and led the Allied invasion fleet into Taranto harbour and operations in the disastrous Dodecanese campign.Tragically,at the bombardment of Karlobag batteries and Pag Town,ALDENHAM struck a mine and sank within minutes,taking two-thirds of her crew with her.                  ALDENHAM - A Type III HUNT-Class Escort Destroyer ordered from Cammell-Laird on 4th July,1940 under the 1940 War Emergency Program and laid down as Job Number 3766 on 22nd August that year.The ship was launched on 27th August, 1941 as the first RN warship to carry that name. She was completed on 5th February,1942 and after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign was adopted by the civil community of Witney in Oxfordshire.                            F. A. Mason saw action in many of the events here recorded and has a unique insight into the many daring operations carried out by the men of the Aldenham. He joined the Royal Navy in 1932 and saw service on battleship RODNEY,aircraft carrier FURIOUS and survey sloop STORK recharting the numerous islands off the west coast of Siam (now Thailand).At the beginning of the war he transferred to HMS HARDY of Narvik fame and was awarded theDSM [Distinguished Service Medal] for rescue work.He then served on BROADWATER,until October 1941 when she was torpeoed by a U-boat in the Atlantic off Ireland.He stood by at Cammel Laird's at Birkenhead awaiting comletion of HMS ALDENHAM in late 1941,and saw Mediterranean service on her up to April/May 1944 when he joined DEFIANCE as an inspector, later transferring to FORTH,a submarine maintenance and repair ship. Please contact seller,because of the lighter weight and the value of this item,for correct, insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!                                      N.B. ALL buyers please note,that stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE.  ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of any inexpensive book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,illustrated,1st edn.
Not SIGNED.

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