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SMITHERS,A. J: : A NEW EXCALIBUR:The Development of the Tank,1909-1939

LONDON.LEO COOPER/SECKER & WARBURG,1986.

ISBN 0436475200.

UK, Qrto HB+dw/dj, 1st edn.FINE/NFINE.No owner inscrptn, no price-clip to dw/dj. Bright, clean, glossy laminated colour wrap-around artwork illustrated dw/dj by Chris Collingwood, with minimal shelf-wear and negligible creasing to edges - no major nicks or tears present,apart from two miniscule nicks, 1 each to rear wrap corners.Miniscule bumping to head of spine/ backstrip with reciprocal creases.Top+fore-edges bright and clean, contents bright, tight, clean and near pristine - no dog-ear creases to page corners.Clean, plain, black paper-covered bds with bright, stamped gilt letters to spine/backstrip and contemporary b/w photographic eps.Qrto, vi-viii+3-262pp includes half-title, contemporary b/w photographic illustrated title-page, contents list, author intro, Pts 1+2 covering 23 chapters, 15 colour photographs, profuse contemporary b/w photographs, appendices(2), biblio, source notes, a general index and an index of tanks. 'The idea of a mobile strong-point, out of which the tank developed, probably occurred to most minds after our first experience of attacking strongly entrenched positions.I first heard it suggested by an Intelligence Corps officer as early as the Battle of Aisne . . . the suggestion of using the 'Caterpillar tractor', which had been experimented with at Aldershot in 1914, immediately arose . . . .but it was so obvious a development that it must have occurred simultaneously in many regimental and staff messes.' Thus stated John Charteris, Sir Douglas Haig's Director of Military Intelligence. Obvious development it may have been, but the birth and infancy of the tank were nevertheless weighed down by a truly remarkable burden of handicaps in which the endeavour to solve the enormous number of technical problems which the construction of such a vehicle presented seemed at times to pale into insignificance compared with the endless squabbles between the headstrong band of 'midwives' and 'monthly nurses' who gathered in its nursery.It is essentially upon this ill-assorted bunch of inventors, engineers, soldiers and politicians which Jack Smithers concentrates in this fascinating study of the vehicle which was born out of the stalemate of the Western Front in WW1. As is inevitable in almost any work of history set in the first half of this century (then 1986), the figure of Winston Churchill looms large in the foreground, but the role that he played in this instance is remarkable even by his standards when it is remembered that at the crucial time he was First Lord of the Admiralty and theoretically had nothing to do with warfare on land! Foremost amongst the leading actors in the drama come Sir Eustace Tennyson-d'Eyncourt, Sir Ernest Swinton, Bertie Stern, Sir William Tritton and Walter Gordon Wilson.Of the last-named few will have heard, but as the author says, 'but for him there would have been no tank.Not, at any rate, in 1916.' This is the first exhaustive study of the men behind the earliest tanks and to quote the author again, 'that they quarrelled - furiously at times - is hardly surprising, for these were strong-willed men and great matters were at stake.Who was right and who was wrong hardly matters.There is honour enough for all of them.' The story of their quarrels and the machines they produced combine, under Smither's skilful pen, to make a remarkable and compelling study. Please contact seller, because of the value of this item, for correct, insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page!

UK,Qrto HB+dw/dj,1st edn.

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