War & Escape - 20th Century | Archive | Voyager Rare Books Maps & Prints

Rabaul 1942 – the Story of the 2/22nd Australian Army Infantry and others – Douglas Aplin

This is the second printing of Douglas Aplin’s definitive book on the, as he calls it, “tragic story of the 2/22^nd …. The men and women of the Lark Force, including units of the RAN, RAAF, New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, 1^st Independent Company etc and New Guinea residents who were caught up in the calamity following the January 1942 invasion of the New Guinea Islands by the Japanese”

Softcover, perfect bound, published by the Battalion, effectively self-published by the author, 1980. 294 pages, illustrated – very good condition.

And, what a calamity it was … many lost their lives amid the confusion sparked by the ineptitude of military and political hierarchy in Canberra … for weeks invasion had been inevitable and opportunities to move anyone at risk were lost … those left must have been terrified and bewildered. Without dragging too much up, as is the mood of current times, … things were not good. The Japanese brought 3,000 of their own prostitutes to Rabaul to “service” their troops, gives you some idea …

Nevertheless, there are some good stories here among the debris of war … those that made every personal effort to escape … often by risky means … but with success. This is an important book to reflect on how humans behave in the worst of circumstances … but the “escapes”… they provide some happiness and relief.

Important thorough work by Douglas Aplin based on numerous journals, diaries, records etc.

$70.00

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Operation Cicero – the Espionage Sensation of the War – L.C. Moyzisch – 1950

First edition published 1950 by Wingate, London. Octavo, 208 pages, a nice copy.

Written from a German perspective by Moyzisch who the Attache at the German Embassy in Ankara was. An “authenticity” post-script by Franz von Papen who was the Ambassador.

An Albanian, Elyesa Bazna, code named Cicero had rolls of film for sale about key British intelligence … the German’s paid up and the details of the Moscow, Cairo and Tehran conferences of the Allies were available to Hitler. However, what became of the information … and extraordinary spy account … once disbelieved but now authenticated.

Rare spy story published shortly after WWII

$40.00

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Envoy Extraordinary – E Phillips Oppenheim – 1940

Espionage at the brink of WWII this edition published by Triangle and offshoot of Little Brown, New York in 1940.

Octavo, 307 pages, printed on “war paper’ hence the normal even toasting of the paper. Otherwise a very nice copy in a very good dust jacket indeed.

the Earl of Matresser returns to his Norfolk estate after years of hunting and spying in Africa and Asia. Europe is rumbling and the powers that be seek to restore the balance by promoting Monarchy in Germany and elsewhere. What was Rosa Von Kampf doing in England – is she the guiding figure behind the attempt on Pilot Number Seventeen’s life?

Classic Oppenheim – usual dust jacket art.

$60.00

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Voices for Kurdistan – Fire, Snow & Honey – Gina Lennox.

Published by Halstead Press, Sydney in 2001. Thick squat quarto, 677 pages, some illustrations and good endpaper maps. The odd pencil annotation from an educated reader – we have left them as we believe it adds to the book. Very good condition.

The Kurds come from a proud ancient culture and have been exploited and persecuted over and over again. This work, edited by Gin Lennox contains over 600 contributions from Kurds of all ages and backgrounds. It is a unique and inherently comprehensive work that will educate any that wish to understand more about the Kurdish people their land and culture.

Gina Lennox interest and love for the people and region stems from 1980 motorbike trip she made from London to India. Her life more or less devoted to the people of the Middle east since then

Kurdistan laid bare through Gina Lennox

$35.00

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Triumph in the West [WWII] – The War Diaries of Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke – Arthur Bryant.

The first edition published by Collins, London in 1959. Thick octavo, 576 pages, frontispiece of Alanbrooke, map in text and differing end-paper maps.

A strange thing now, the detailed war diary. It all seems to be inaccurately dealt with on Twitter or Fritter or whatever now. How can you reflect on that?

Sir Arthur Bryant spent a long time going through Alanbrooke’s meticulous, in the moment, diaries. The result is something special. When Voyager first picked up this book there was a struggle to put it down. Not only the easy and honest style of the narrative but on reading one feeling the frustrations and irritations of the sometimes-irrational behaviour of the Political leaders.

This is 1943-1946 and Alanbrooke is promoted to Field Marshall. A major re-organisation of the top ranks takes place in preparation for operation Overlord. Eisenhower gets his man [Monty], and a re-shuffle takes place with chopping and changing to the very last moment. Resolute Alanbrooke works tirelessly and at one time seemed to be crossing Europe and North Africa continuously by plane – and still made it to the War Office. He had Churchill’s ear – Churchill much admired but inclined to make deals to please and change his mind often.

Alanbrooke a War Diary Like No Other.

$40.00

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German WWII – Signal / Flash Lamp / Daimon 2201

This lamp was made for the German military during WWII by Daimon GMBH of Cologne [Koln]. Pressed tinplate design, robust, with a simple switching mechanism to release a button for Morse Code. Articulated stand at rear which would double as a loop for a belt for handy carry.

No battery supplied with sale but this simple design works and would be hard to destroy.

Military signals flash-light from WWII- German Design.

$60.00

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War & Escape – 20th Century

Rabaul 1942 – the Story of the 2/22nd Australian Army Infantry and others – Douglas Aplin

Operation Cicero – the Espionage Sensation of the War – L.C. Moyzisch – 1950

Envoy Extraordinary – E Phillips Oppenheim – 1940

Voices for Kurdistan – Fire, Snow & Honey – Gina Lennox.

Triumph in the West [WWII] – The War Diaries of Field Marshal Viscount Alanbrooke – Arthur Bryant.

German WWII – Signal / Flash Lamp / Daimon 2201

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